Ferran Torres settled the final six minutes into extra time as Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in New Jersey to claim their second World Cup crown, emulating the triumphant generation of 2010. The Barcelona forward converted from close range at the New Jersey New York Stadium after Nico Williams headed Pedro Porro’s deep cross back across goal, sparking jubilant celebrations among the Spanish contingent.
The decisive strike capped a campaign in which Luis de la Fuente’s side built their success on defensive steel, conceding just one goal across eight tournament matches. La Roja dominated possession and created the clearer chances throughout the decider, though they required additional time to pierce an Argentine rearguard marshalled by Nicolás Otamendi.
Decisive moments
Argentina failed to test Unai Simón during the opening 45 minutes, registering no shots on target as Spain controlled the tempo without finding a breakthrough. The pattern persisted after the interval, with the contest fractured by fouls and cautions. The Albiceleste’s task grew harder deep into stoppage time when Enzo Fernández received a second yellow card for dissent and a subsequent challenge on Pau Cubarsi, reducing the defending champions to ten men.
Spain thought they had broken the deadlock early in extra time when Williams finished from close range, only for the effort to be ruled out after Mikel Merino was adjudged to have fouled Otamendi in the build-up. The reprieve proved temporary. One minute into the second period of extra time, Williams nodded the ball back across the six-yard box where Torres arrived to fire emphatically past Emi Martínez.
Tournament honours
The victory completed a statistically dominant tournament for Spain, who faced more shots than only Belgium yet proved impregnable at the back. Rodrigo Hernández was named the competition’s best player, while 19-year-old defender Pau Cubarsí collected the young player award and Unai Simón received the Golden Glove. Each squad member departed with a replica World Cup housed in a Louis Vuitton trunk, alongside commemorative rings and pieces of the goal net.
Spanish media hailed the triumph as a victory for collective endeavour over individualism. El País highlighted the squad’s “conviction of hard work”, while El Mundo described the achievement as a “unique collective experience”. ABC contrasted Spain’s conduct with Argentina’s “thuggish” behaviour, noting that Sergio Ramos embraced a tearful Lionel Messi while carrying the trophy to the presentation stage.
Not all assessments were celebratory. Football writer Jonathan Wilson described the final as “disgusting”, attributing Argentina’s passive display to the “indulgence” shown to them throughout the tournament.
Celebrations
Thousands of supporters endured temperatures nearing 32°C in Madrid’s Plaza de Colón to watch the late-night broadcast, with flares and roars greeting Torres’s winner shortly after midnight local time. Back in New Jersey, the squad celebrated briefly in the dressing room before departing for Spain, with players including Lamine Yamal and Borja Iglesias stopping to shake hands with officials while carrying their medals and replica trophies.
The triumph denies Messi a second consecutive World Cup victory and marks Spain’s first global crown since Andrés Iniesta’s extra-time winner against the Netherlands 16 years ago. La Roja’s blend of technical control and defensive organisation proved the difference, cementing their status as worthy champions.