Spain beats Argentina 1-0 in extra time to win 2026 World Cup, Ferran Torres the hero

The final: Spain's patience pays off

Spain controlled possession from the opening whistle, pinning Argentina deep and forcing early chances. Lamine Yamal missed a close-range shot in the 5th minute, and a defensive error by Pau Cubarsí almost gifted Messi a goal seconds later, but Unai Simón rushed out to smother the chance. Argentina struggled to hold the ball under Spain's relentless press, and the match settled into a pattern of Spanish dominance without clear openings. After 90 goalless minutes, the final went to extra time.

In the 106th minute, Ferran Torres broke the deadlock. A disallowed goal by Nico Williams earlier in extra time had already raised Spanish protests against referee Slavko Vinčić, but Torres made sure the next chance counted. Spain held on to win 1-0 and lift the trophy for the first time since Andrés Iniesta's goal in 2010.

Messi's milestone and muted night

Lionel Messi became only the second player to appear in three World Cup finals, equalling Brazil's Cafu, and the first to start in all three. A victory would have made him the first captain to lift the trophy twice. Instead, he was largely contained by Spain's defence, touching the ball infrequently and failing to influence the game as he had in earlier rounds. Messi finished the tournament with 8 goals and 4 assists, one goal behind Kylian Mbappé in the all-time World Cup scoring race.

Even if you hear that this is the end, I doubt it. I see him continuing with the national team, simply because he enjoys it.

Speculation about Messi's future intensified after the final. At 39, he could target the 2030 centenary World Cup, which will open with matches in Argentina. Spanish football expert Guillem Balague told the BBC he expects Messi to carry on.

Trump's pitchside diplomacy

US President Donald Trump attended the final and was scheduled to hand over the trophy. Speaking to Fox before kick-off, he predicted an Argentina win, calling Messi "great" and describing Argentina's president Javier Milei as a friend doing a "terrific job." Trump avoided picking the greatest player of all time, citing his friendship with Cristiano Ronaldo and memories of watching Pelé.

I met Messi recently, I know Cristiano too, and they have a pretty good life. Actually, I think they have a much easier life than mine! I'd like to swap places for a month.

Trump also revealed he had proposed to FIFA president Gianni Infantino that the United States host another World Cup, noting that stadiums were "99.9% full" throughout the tournament.

Halftime show and closing spectacle

The final featured the first-ever World Cup halftime show, modelled on the Super Bowl. Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber, BTS, and Burna Boy performed a 20-minute set, while Jennifer Hudson sang the US national anthem before kick-off. The closing ceremony, produced by Balich Wonder Studio, celebrated the 48 teams and 16 host cities. Tom Cruise, Robbie Williams, Laura Pausini, Nicole Scherzinger, and streamer IShowSpeed also appeared. Air quality concerns from Canadian wildfires had eased, with clear skies over New Jersey.

Chaos outside MetLife Stadium

Hours before kick-off, fans faced kilometre-long queues and only a few open entrances with just three security scanners. Spanish outlet Marca described the scene as a "global fiasco," with heavy security for VIPs including Trump slowing entry further. Journalists had been told to arrive six hours early, but the bottlenecks persisted before gradually easing.

What the numbers say

Spain conceded only one goal all tournament, the best defensive record of the 2026 World Cup. Argentina entered the final with 19 goals, the most of any team. The clash between the best attack and the best defence ended with Spain's back line on top. Argentina's bid to become the third nation to win back-to-back World Cups (after Italy in 1934–1938 and Brazil in 1958–1962) fell short, while Spain added a second star to its shirt, 16 years after the first.