Spain's Ferran Torres scores the winning goal against Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New York on Sunday (local time). [Reuters/Yonhap]
Spain's Ferran Torres scores the winning goal against Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New York on Sunday (local time). [Reuters/Yonhap]

Spain defeated Argentina — sending Lionel Messi's "last tango" into history — to claim the 2026 FIFA World Cup title in North and Central America.

FIFA-ranked No. 2 Spain, coached by Luis de la Fuente, beat No. 1 Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the tournament final at MetLife Stadium in New York on Monday (Korean Standard Time).

Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the first minute of the second period of extra time.

It was Spain's second World Cup title overall and their first since the 2010 tournament in South Africa — a gap of 16 years.

For the second consecutive World Cup, the final pitted a European side against a South American one. Europe claimed the trophy for the first time since France won the 2018 tournament in Russia, ending an eight-year drought.

European nations have now won the World Cup 13 times in total, compared with 10 for South American nations.

Spain became the first country to hold both the men's and women's World Cup titles simultaneously, having won the women's tournament in 2023.

Argentina, the reigning champion from the 2022 Qatar World Cup, fell short of back-to-back titles.


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