Spain win the World Cup after Ferran Torres dethrones 10-man Argentina in extra time
Enzo Fernández sent off for two bookings in normal time
Victory secures second men’s World Cup title for La Roja
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Spain finally broke Argentina’s dogged resistance in extra time to win the men’s World Cup for the second time with a 1-0 victory
The Barcelona winger Ferran Torres scored the only goal of a disjointed game that was almost ruined by Argentina’s spoiling tactics, which backfired when they were reduced to 10 men for extra time by the late dismissal of Enzo Fernández for two yellow cards
Spain v Argentina: World Cup 2026 final goes to extra time – live
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Spain had dominated throughout, having 20 shots to an extraordinary two from Argentina – both as they chased an equaliser –and were finally rewarded when Torres broke the deadlock in the 106th minute
Pedro Porro’s cross to the back post was kept in play brilliantly by Nico Williams, with Torres pouncing to fire beyond Emi Martínez and send the Spanish into raptures
Martínez had performed brilliantly to keep Argentina in the contest with a string of superb saves, but most neutrals and the many celebrities in attendance will have been pleased to see him finally beaten given his side’s cynical tactics
Argentina did not attempt a shot on goal until the 115th minute when Lionel Messi, making his final World Cup appearance, struck the ball at the head of Mikel Merino
There were ugly scenes after the final whistle, with Argentina’s Nahuel Molina and Leandro Paredes in particular reacting aggressively and players briefly scrapped. Paredes shoved Gavi to the turf and was sent off
The climax of a World Cup Fifa’s president, Gianni Infantino, described on Friday as “the most incredible event in human history” was as much a showbiz as sporting occasion, with the spectacle on the pitch failing to live up to the razzmatazz off it
In a break from World Cup protocol Infantino watched the game from Donald Trump’s private box at the New York New Jersey Stadium in a gathering that also included the Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, King Felipe of Spain and other members of the Trump family
Fifa also released an 11-page list of celebrities in attendance, many of whom were also booked to perform
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The match had kicked off six minutes late owing to the pre-game schmaltz being dialled up to levels that made the Super Bowl look subdued. Jennifer Hudson gave a spine-tingling rendition of the Star Spangled Banner followed by Robbie Williams singing the rather less well known Fifa anthem, Desire
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More bizarrely Tom Cruise then delivered what was no doubt intended as a stirring speech, which included such Fifa-sanctioned platitudes as: “Football is a force that unites people.”
The much-hyped half-time show featuring Madonna, Justin Bieber and Ted Lasso among others, the first time pop stars have been permitted on the pitch during a World Cup final, meant that the interval stretched to 27 minutes and 20 seconds, which will have suited Argentina, whose tactics were based on delaying and disrupting Spain throughout
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