Tempers flare as Lionel Messi’s side lose their title in New Jersey
Spain won the World Cup for the second time on Sunday 19 July, beating Argentina 1-0 after extra time at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Substitute Ferran Torres scored the only goal in the 106th minute, finishing from close range to end Argentina’s title defence. The Barcelona forward came off the bench after a tight and tense 90 minutes had produced no goals.
Argentina, the defending champions, finished the match with 10 men after Enzo Fernández was sent off. Lionel Messi’s side could not find a way back, and the final became increasingly bad-tempered as Spain closed the game out.
The victory is Spain’s second world title. Their first came in 2010 in South Africa. Celebrations broke out across Spain as the team lifted the trophy.
The 2026 World Cup was the first to feature 48 teams and 104 matches. It was hosted jointly by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the first time three nations have shared the tournament.
Summer conditions across North America shaped the tournament. Thunderstorms and lightning caused weather delays to matches, including a postponement during France’s match against Iraq.
Argentina finished the match with 10 men after Enzo Fernández was sent off
FIFA also introduced mandatory three-minute hydration breaks midway through each half of all 104 matches, a new player-welfare measure for the expanded tournament. The breaks applied regardless of the weather on the day, and the policy drew criticism from some in the game during the group stage.
For British viewers, the North American time zones meant late nights and early mornings throughout the six-week tournament.
Spain’s win caps a dominant period for the national side, which also won the European Championship in 2024. Argentina’s four-year reign as world champions is over, and questions will now turn to whether Messi, 39, has played his last World Cup match.
The next men’s World Cup takes place in 2030, co-hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. Spain will defend the trophy on home soil.
