FIFA: Torres' extra-time heroics fire Spain to World Cup glory
New York, July 20
Substitute Ferran Torres emerged as Spain's hero, scoring the decisive goal in extra time as La Roja edged defending champions Argentina 1-0 to lift the FIFA World Cup 2026 title at the New York New Jersey Stadium.
After a tense and fiercely contested 90 minutes ended goalless, Torres finally broke the deadlock in the 106th minute. The forward latched onto Nico Williams' headed knockdown before unleashing a powerful left-footed strike beyond Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez to seal Spain's second FIFA World Cup triumph, their first since winning the title in South Africa in 2010.
Spain dominated possession for long spells and carved out the better chances throughout the final but found Martinez in inspired form as the Argentine goalkeeper repeatedly denied the European side. Argentina, meanwhile, struggled to create clear-cut opportunities, with captain Lionel Messi largely contained by Spain's disciplined defence.
The defending champions suffered a major setback deep into stoppage time of normal time when midfielder Enzo Fernandez was shown a second yellow card, reducing Argentina to 10 men for extra time.
Spain continued to pile on the pressure and thought they had doubled their lead in extra time, only for the effort to be ruled out for a foul in the build-up. However, Luis de la Fuente's men remained composed and comfortably saw out the closing stages to bring Argentina's reign as world champions to an end.
The triumph capped a remarkable tournament for Spain, who went unbeaten throughout the competition and added a second World Cup crown to their historic 2010 success. Argentina, champions in Qatar four years ago, fell agonisingly short in their bid to retain football's biggest prize.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As an Indian football fan, I loved watching this final! Spain’s tiki-taka style is just beautiful to watch. Argentina missing Messi’s magic when it mattered most. But one thing I don’t get—why do top tournaments always end around 2-3 AM IST? 😅
Great win for Spain but Argentina clearly missed Di Maria’s creativity in attack. The red card changed the game entirely—playing with 10 men against Spain in extra time is just too hard. Kudos to Torres for stepping up when it mattered! 👏
Honestly, I was rooting for Argentina to retain but Spain’s discipline and possession football was just too good. Messi looked frustrated the entire match—Spain’s defense really did their homework. Now I need to check why the match was in New York though. World Cup away from the hosts? 🤔
Grew up watching Spain dominate in 2010, it’s fantastic to see them back on top. The final was a tactical masterclass—De la Fuente’s substitutions were perfect. Torres is a hero tonight! Hoping India can reach this level someday. 🇮🇳⚽
Tense match but a bit of a letdown for neutrals. 90 minutes without a goal and then a red card decided it. Spain deserved to win but Argentina’s toughness showed—they kept fighting till the end. Still, would’ve loved to see more goals in normal time. ⚽💤
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.