Spain beat Argentina in extra time to win 2026 World Cup
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- Spain beat Argentina in extra time (Ferran Torres, 106th minute) in New Jersey to win the 2026 World Cup — their second men's title — after Rodri lifted the trophy following a grueling 120 minutes.
- Spain dominated statistically with 65% possession, 1.94 expected goals, and 20 shots (11 on target); Rodri (101 passes) and Pau Cubarsi (121) became two of only three players ever to complete 100+ passes in a World Cup final.
- Unai Simon won the Golden Glove with seven clean sheets in eight matches as Spain conceded just one goal all tournament — the fewest by any winning World Cup team.
- Argentina became the first team in World Cup history to register zero shots in 90 minutes of a final; Lionel Messi managed their first attempt in the 117th minute, while Emiliano Martinez set the record for saves in a final with 11.
- Argentina's Enzo Fernandez was sent off for a late challenge on Cubarsi, and the ugly scenes extended past the whistle: Nahuel Molina threw a punch at a Spain player while Leandro Paredes clashed with Rodri, Gavi, and Borja Iglesias.
- Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni, in tears at his post-match press conference, conceded the best team won but pointed to the red card: "I would love to know what would have happened had we still had 11 men on the pitch."
- Spain are now unbeaten in 38 matches across all competitions — the longest run by any European team in history — and hold world, Olympic, and European titles simultaneously, with 19-year-olds Cubarsi (young player of the tournament) and Lamine Yamal anchoring the next cycle.
Why it matters: Spain complete a clean sweep of world, Olympic, and European titles and extend their unbeaten run to 38 matches — the longest by any European side in history. Argentina's reign ends not just in defeat but in infamy: zero shots in 90 minutes of a final, a record 11 saves by Martinez that couldn't save them, and a red card their manager directly blamed for the loss.
