Spain are World Cup champions for the second time, beating Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday, July 19, 2026. Substitute Ferran Torres settled a goalless 120-minute struggle in the 106th minute, striking within a minute of the restart in the second period of extra time after Argentina had been reduced to ten men by Enzo Fernández’s stoppage-time red card. Spain lifted the trophy 16 years after their first, while Argentina’s attempt to retain the title and Lionel Messi’s last World Cup ended in defeat.
Key Takeaways
- Spain beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time to win the 2026 World Cup, their second world title after 2010.
- Ferran Torres scored the only goal in the 106th minute, finishing a Nico Williams header across the goal from Pedro Porro’s cross.
- Enzo Fernández was sent off deep in second-half stoppage time for a second yellow card after a reckless challenge on Pau Cubarsí, leaving Argentina to play all of extra time a man short.
- Argentina did not register a single shot on target across 120 minutes, while Spain had 12 and held 65% of the ball.
- Emiliano Martinez made 11 saves, a record for a World Cup final, and still finished on the losing side.
The Spain vs Argentina World Cup 2026 matchup pitted the tournament’s meanest defence against its most prolific attack, the European champions against the reigning world champions. It produced a final of relentless pressure and stubborn resistance, decided by a moment of quality after Argentina’s discipline finally cracked.
How did Spain win the 2026 World Cup final?
Spain controlled the final from the opening whistle without being able to break it open. Lamine Yamal probed at Argentina’s back line and Luis de la Fuente’s side pushed Lionel Scaloni’s team ever deeper, but Argentina defended their box in numbers and offered almost nothing going the other way. Argentina’s first half was remarkable for its emptiness at the other end: no shots and no meaningful presence in the Spanish penalty area. Their afternoon was further disrupted just before the interval when Lisandro Martinez went off injured in the 44th minute, Nicolás Otamendi replacing him at centre-back.
The pattern did not change after the break. Spain kept coming, and Emiliano Martinez kept them out, denying Yamal a free-kick from 25 yards that was heading for the top corner and turning away efforts from Dani Olmo, Ferran Torres and Nico Williams. De la Fuente emptied his bench in search of the breakthrough, introducing Pedri and Torres just past the hour and Mikel Merino and Williams around the 75th minute. Argentina, meanwhile, grew increasingly ragged in the challenge, and it caught up with them in stoppage time.
Enzo Fernández, booked in the 82nd minute for unsporting behaviour after a run of fouls, launched into a wild challenge on Pau Cubarsí in the 93rd minute, sending the 19-year-old flying after the defender had reached the ball first. Referee Slavko Vincic showed a second yellow, and Argentina faced 30 minutes of extra time with ten men. They held out through the first period, but the resistance broke 39 seconds into the second. Pedro Porro lifted a ball to the back post, Nico Williams climbed above Nahuel Molina and headed it back across the face of the goal, and with Martinez stranded, Ferran Torres met it first time from eight yards to win the World Cup.
What were the key statistics of the Spain vs Argentina World Cup 2026 final?
Few World Cup finals have been this one-sided on paper. Spain took 20 shots to Argentina’s two and put 12 on target to Argentina’s none, finishing with an expected-goals figure of 2.29 against 0.22. Argentina’s route to survival was Emiliano Martinez, whose 11 saves set a record for a World Cup final, beating the previous mark of eight. That the game still needed 106 minutes to break says as much about his afternoon as it does about Spain’s wastefulness.
| Statistic | Spain | Argentina |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 65% | 35% |
| Total shots | 20 | 2 |
| Shots on target | 12 | 0 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 2.29 | 0.22 |
| Saves | 0 | 11 |
| Corners | 9 | 4 |
| Fouls | 21 | 25 |
The disciplinary record told the story of Argentina’s afternoon just as clearly. They collected four yellow cards and a red, with Lisandro Martinez, Leandro Paredes, Cristian Romero and Alexis Mac Allister all booked alongside Enzo Fernández’s dismissal. Spain finished the final without a single card.
Who were the standout performers and starters for each side?
Ferran Torres will be remembered for the goal, but the afternoon belonged to several others too. Rodri controlled the middle of the pitch and was named the tournament’s best player, while Unai Simón had almost nothing to do and ended the day with a winner’s medal and the Golden Glove. Pau Cubarsi, still 19, was outstanding at the back and was voted the tournament’s best young player. Note the two players named Martinez on the Argentina side: goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who was superb, and centre-back Lisandro Martinez, who limped out before half-time. For Argentina, Emiliano Martinez was the clear standout in defeat, while Lionel Messi, at 39, was starved of the ball and rarely able to influence the game.
Spain Starting XI
- GK: Unai Simon
- Defenders: Pedro Porro, Pau Cubarsi, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella
- Midfielders: Rodri, Fabian Ruiz, Dani Olmo, Alex Baena
- Forwards: Lamine Yamal, Mikel Oyarzabal
De la Fuente made five changes in all. Pedri and Ferran Torres arrived in the 62nd minute, Mikel Merino and Nico Williams around the 75th, and Eric Garcia and Martin Zubimendi came on in the 99th minute as extra time began. Two of those substitutes combined for the goal that won the World Cup.
Argentina Starting XI
- GK: Emiliano Martinez
- Defenders: Gonzalo Montiel, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolás Tagliafico
- Midfielders: Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister, Nicolás González
- Forwards: Lionel Messi, Julián Álvarez
Scaloni’s hand was forced early by Lisandro Martinez’s injury, with Nicolás Otamendi coming on in the 44th minute. Leandro Paredes followed at half-time, and Nahuel Molina came on in the 58th minute, with further changes around the 70th minute, and Marcos Senesi was introduced in the 102nd minute during extra time.
What does this result mean for Spain and Argentina?
Spain are world champions for the second time, adding the 2026 title to the trophy they won in South Africa in 2010 and following up their European Championship success by conquering the world game again. The win extends their unbeaten run to 38 matches across two years, and they finished the tournament having conceded just one goal in eight games, with Unai Simon keeping a record seven clean sheets. Spain also became the holder of both the men’s and women’s World Cups at the same time.
For Argentina, the defence of the trophy they won in Qatar ends one game short. They fell short of becoming the first nation since Brazil in 1962 to retain the World Cup, and of a fourth consecutive major title after the 2021 Copa America, the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 Copa America. Lionel Messi, 39 and visibly emotional as he collected his runner-up medal, was awarded the silver Golden Ball in what is widely expected to be his final World Cup appearance.
Who won the 2026 World Cup individual awards?
With the final complete, FIFA confirmed the tournament’s individual honours. Rodri took the Golden Ball as the best player of the World Cup, ahead of Lionel Messi in silver and Kylian Mbappé in bronze. Mbappé claimed the Golden Boot with 10 goals in France’s eight matches, finishing ahead of Messi on eight and Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland on seven. Spain’s Unai Simón won the Golden Glove, and Pau Cubarsi was named the tournament’s best young player.
| Award | Winner |
|---|---|
| Golden Ball | Rodri (Spain) |
| Golden Boot | Kylian Mbappe (France) – 10 goals |
| Golden Glove | Unai Simon (Spain) |
| Best Young Player | Pau Cubarsi (Spain) |
The final also closes the tournament itself. Spain finished as champions and Argentina as runners-up, with England having beaten France 6-4 in the third-place playoff in Miami the day before. There are no further fixtures at the World Cup 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the final score of Spain vs Argentina at the 2026 World Cup final?
Spain beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the World Cup 2026 final at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, 2026. The match was goalless after 90 minutes, and Ferran Torres scored the winner in the 106th minute.
Who scored the goal in the 2026 World Cup final?
Ferran Torres scored the only goal of the final in the 106th minute, early in the second period of extra time. Pedro Porro crossed to the back post, Nico Williams headed the ball back across goal, and Torres finished first time from close range.
Why was Enzo Fernández sent off in the 2026 World Cup final?
Enzo Fernández received a second yellow card in the 93rd minute for a reckless challenge on Pau Cubarsi, having already been booked in the 82nd minute for unsporting behaviour. The dismissal left Argentina playing the whole of extra time with ten men.
Did the World Cup 2026 final go to extra time?
Yes. The final was goalless after 90 minutes and went to extra time, where Ferran Torres scored in the 106th minute. Spain held on to win 1-0, so the match did not go to a penalty shootout.
How many World Cups have Spain won?
Spain has now won two World Cups. Their first came in 2010 in South Africa, and the second came 16 years later with this 1-0 win over Argentina in the 2026 final.
How many saves did Emiliano Martinez make in the final?
Emiliano Martinez made 11 saves, a record for a World Cup final, beating the previous mark of eight. Despite his performance, Argentina lost 1-0 after extra time.
