Spain win World Cup for first time in 16 years, edging Argentina 1-0 in extra time

Ferran Torres races across the pitch in celebration after scoring the winning goal with a left-footed shot in the second half of extra time in the 2026 North and Central America World Cup final between Spain and Argentina on Monday. [Reuters]

Spain lifted the 2026 North and Central America World Cup trophy, defeating Argentina in the final.

FIFA-ranked No. 2 Spain, managed 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.

Spain's suffocating defense held Argentina without a single shot across the regulation 90 minutes — a record first in World Cup final history. Spain dominated the match but saw all 19 of their attempts thwarted by Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez. Then, in the first minute of the second half of extra time, Ferran Torres converted Spain's 20th shot to finally break the deadlock.

Spain claimed their second World Cup title and their first since the 2010 tournament in South Africa, 16 years ago. For the second consecutive tournament, the final was contested between a European and a South American side — and a European team took the trophy for the first time since France at the 2018 Russia World Cup, eight years ago.

Lionel Messi started as a right forward in Argentina's 4-4-2 formation, while Spain's 19-year-old prodigy Lamine Yamal lined up as a right forward in a 4-3-3.

Yamal's shot from the right in the fifth minute and Mikel Oyarzabal's surprise long-range effort in the 39th minute both went straight into the arms of Martínez. In the 66th minute, a short cross from Yamal on the right found Torres, whose header was again stopped by Martínez.

Argentina's Lionel Messi shakes hands with Spain's match-winner Ferran Torres after the 2026 North and Central America World Cup final on Monday. [Reuters]

The turning point came in the 93rd minute, when extra time was looking increasingly likely. Argentina forward Enzo Fernández received a second yellow card and was sent off after a rough tackle on Cubarsí, who had been trying to clear the ball.

With the numerical advantage, Spain pressed even harder in extra time. Nico Williams found the net with a shot in the sixth minute of the second half of extra time, but the goal was disallowed after officials ruled that Argentina's Nicolás Otamendi had fouled Mikel Merino earlier in the move.

Spain's goal finally came in the first minute of the second half of extra time. Williams headed down a diagonal cross, and the onrushing Torres drove a powerful left-footed shot into the net.

Torres had been used mainly as a substitute throughout the tournament and came on again as an early second-half replacement. He scored his first goal of the competition — the decisive one in the final. In the ninth minute of the second half of extra time, he had another chance in a one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but his right-footed shot struck the post and the goal was ruled offside.

Spain's victory was sealed in stoppage time of the second half of extra time when Giuliano Simeone's right-footed volley off a Messi corner kick sailed over the Spanish crossbar.

Messi departs the World Cup stage without securing back-to-back titles for Argentina. He set a new record as the oldest outfield player to appear in a World Cup final, at 39 years and 25 days, surpassing the previous mark of 37 years and 241 days held by Sweden's Gunnar Gren. He finished the tournament with eight goals and four assists. The Golden Boot went to France's Kylian Mbappé, who tallied 10 goals and four assists.

Meanwhile, Europe's all-time World Cup title count rose to 13, against South America's 10. Spain became the first nation to hold both the men's and women's World Cup trophies simultaneously, having won the women's tournament in 2023.

Spain's Rodri (Rodrigo Hernández Cascante) lifts the World Cup trophy with teammates during the 2026 North and Central America World Cup awards ceremony on Monday. [Reuters]

yjc@heraldcorp.com