Spain are world champions for the second time after Ferran Torres’ extra-time strike gave La Roja victory over Argentina within the 2026 last in New Jersey.
Nico Williams had a objective disallowed for Luis de la Fuente’s crew shortly earlier than the winner, whereas Enzo Fernandez acquired a second yellow card for the 2022 champions throughout added time within the second half of standard time.
The consequence might have introduced the curtain down on Argentina captain and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi’s worldwide profession.
Right here’s how the groups rated as Spain added to the title they received in 2010 and Argentina suffered defeat of their seventh World Cup decider.
World Cup last 2026: Spain rankings vs Argentina
Unai Simon: 8
Spain had all 12 makes an attempt on track however Unai Simon was calm when known as off his line and handled crosses when required.
The Athletic Membership participant is a history-maker after a outstanding match: Spain’s whole of 1 objective conceded is a file at a World Cup, regardless of having an additional match to contest within the final 32.
Pedro Porro: 9
In addition to persevering with Tottenham’s kind for contributing World Cup winners, Porro shone in his personal proper with a tireless show to finish a formidable match for the full-back.
Porro was a significant cause why Nicolas Gonzalez was substituted and the 26-year-old, who scored within the semi-final win over France, was once more a menace going ahead.
Pau Cubarsi: 8
The 19-year-old completed the finals with the Younger Participant of the Match award, which says all of it about his marketing campaign.
Barcelona centre-back Cubarsi additionally confirmed speedier thought than Enzo Fernandez within the incident that resulted within the midfielder’s dismissal.
Aymeric Laporte: 8
No participant had made extra interceptions and treasured few had received extra aerial duels than Laporte earlier than the ultimate, and the 32-year-old confirmed why as a resolute affect once more right here.
Laporte ought to have scored throughout common time however positioned a header kindly for Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez to save lots of.
Marc Cucurella: 8
On the proof of this match, Cucurella could possibly be a key participant for brand new membership Actual Madrid subsequent season.
One other all-action show featured a flashpoint involving Lionel Messi after Fernandez’s dismissal, with the striker showing to say that the full-back ought to have been punished for overlaying his mouth whereas chatting with him.
Rodri: 9
Topped 100 passes with an accuracy of greater than 95% in one other instrumental show to drive Spain supremely.
With the Participant of the Match award within the bag, new Manchester Metropolis head coach Enzo Maresca have to be hoping Rodri stays – and stays match – for 2026/27.
Fabian Ruiz: 7
A starter in every of Spain’s last three matches, the midfielder was maybe unlucky to be substituted right here.
Made approach for Ferran Torres within the 62nd minute however created two probabilities throughout his time on the pitch and ably demonstrated his perceptive passing vary.
Lamine Yamal: 7
Barely impeded by expectations at these finals, the 19-year-old might need scored early on and ceaselessly gave Argentina trigger for concern.
Examined Emiliano Martinez with a late free-kick and deservedly lingered to embrace Ferran Torres after enjoying a task within the objective.
Dani Olmo: 7
Compelled a save from Martinez and created an opportunity to cap a powerful match for the Barca livewire.
The supplier of Spain’s second objective towards France was changed by Mikel Merino after 75 minutes of the ultimate.
Alex Baena: 6
Making a seventh straight begin on the finals, Atletico Madrid’s Baena had a quiet recreation by the sparky requirements of his teammates.
Was the sufferer of a misfiring spurt of refereeing foam earlier than being changed by Nico Williams with quarter-hour of standard time left.
Mikel Oyarzabal: 6
Didn’t hit the heights he has on his solution to scoring 5 objectives on the finals, becoming a member of Fabian Ruiz as Spain’s first gamers to move to the bench.
Oyarzabal was nonetheless a vigorous menace and finishes the match outscored by solely six gamers.
Substitutes
Pedri: 8
Given greater than an hour, Pedri appeared stuffed with vitality and drew a cease from Martinez early in further time.
The 23-year-old’s whole of 4 probabilities created was the very best of any participant concerned. At 23, the long run seems dazzling.
Ferran Torres: 8
An unforgettable evening for the matchwinner, who scored his first World Cup objective since Spain’s opening match in 2022.
The 26-year-old rifled in to develop into an instantaneous hero for his nation, rewarding Luis de la Fuente for giving him his longest run-out since Spain’s first recreation on the 2026 finals.
Mikel Merino: 7
A brilliant-sub with late objectives within the final 16 and quarter-finals, Merino once more proved a menace after approaching within the seventy fifth minute right here.
Might need achieved higher with a header however arrange Nico Williams for an extra-time objective that was disallowed due to a foul.
Nico Williams: 8
Launched concurrently Merino, Williams was twice denied by Martinez as a part of a virtuoso efficiency.
The Athletic Membership winger teed up Torres for the objective and was let down by wastefulness from an excellent alternative through the first half of additional time.
Martin Zubimendi: 6
A short substitute for Rodri, Zubimendi stored Spain regular through the closing levels with out having adequate time to completely impose himself.
The Arsenal midfielder will cherish his World Cup debut, following on from his title-winning first season within the Premier League.
Eric Garcia: 6
A late substitute for Laporte, Garcia appeared somewhat rusty on his World Cup bow however helped Spain full the job.
The Barca defender was making his first aggressive worldwide look since 2022.
Spain substitutes: David Raya, Joan Garcia, Marc Pubill, Alex Grimaldo, Marcos Llorente, Gavi, Yeremy Pino, Victor Munoz, Borja Iglesias
World Cup last 2026: Argentina rankings vs Spain
Emiliano Martinez: 8
Made a number of wonderful saves and will do little about Torres’ winner, which arrowed into the roof of the web.
The Aston Villa goalkeeper will probably really feel some frustration after Argentina didn’t maintain a clear sheet in a sixth consecutive match.
Nicolas Tagliafico: 6
Trusted to start out because the spherical of 16, Tagliafico was helped by Yamal having a quiet first half by the prodigy’s requirements.
On his seventeenth World Cup look, the Lyon defender endured a tough time after that and dedicated 5 fouls throughout the competition.
Gonzalo Montiel: 6
Argentina’s first participant to make approach through the second half, Montiel was changed by Nahuel Molina after 58 minutes.
The River Plate right-back was making his first begin since matchday one and struggled to include Cucurella.
Lisandro Martinez: 5
The Manchester United defender had extra cause than most of his teammates to overlook the ultimate, trying distraught when he was pressured off through the first half.
Martinez acquired the primary reserving for a rash problem on Oyarzabal and was injured within the course of.
Cristian Romero: 7
Romero’s resolute first-half displaying may go away Argentina questioning what may have been had he stayed on the pitch all through.
Facundo Medina changed Romero with 20 minutes of standard time remaining, persevering with an injury-strewn run for the 28-year-old.
Rodrigo De Paul: 4
Got here on shortly earlier than Argentina turned their semi-final towards England round, however fared much less successfully towards opponents bossing possession.
With De Paul’s affect restricted, the teammate of Lionel Messi at Inter Miami got here off within the seventieth minute.
Nico Gonzalez: 4
When head coach Lionel Scaloni determined change was wanted at half-time, Gonzalez paid the value in a swap with Leandro Paredes.
One other arrival from the bench towards England, the Manchester Metropolis midfielder tried to stem Spain’s dominance throughout his half within the last.
Alexis Mac Allister: 5
The Liverpool playmaker featured all through however didn’t have his best 120 minutes and was booked for a problem on Cucurella throughout further time.
A passing success of barely greater than 83% might not have helped Argentina’s trigger as Spain loved greater than 65% of play.
Enzo Fernandez: 4
Fernandez was Argentina’s stand-out midfielder through the first half however let his crew down by being despatched off for a wild foul.
The Chelsea playmaker’s perspective was questioned through the 2025/26 season and his indiscretion – having been booked for dissent shortly beforehand – was a silly one.
Julian Alvarez: 5
A elegant curling strike towards Switzerland was Alvarez’s solely objective of the finals and the ahead didn’t seem like including to his tally within the last.
The ahead was not the one participant to wrestle and he didn’t look worthy of the £129 million Barcelona supplied Actual Madrid for him final month.
Lionel Messi: 5
Spain’s achievement is made all of the better by maintaining the very best participant of recent occasions quiet, leaving Messi in tears on the finish.
Regardless of his despair after what could possibly be the 39-year-old’s final worldwide look, Messi made his majestic brilliance crystal-clear at this match.
Substitutes
Nicolas Otamendi: 5
At 38, Otamendi discovered the going predictably powerful after changing Lisandro Martinez within the forty fourth minute.
The River Plate centre-back performed all through Argentina’s triumphant marketing campaign in 2022 and should look again on that much more fondly than this match, wherein his solely begin was towards Jordan.
Leandro Paredes: 4
Given Spain’s dominance, there was little disgrace in Paredes being unable to have an effect on the sport after approaching.
The midfielder’s conduct after the ultimate whistle, against this, earned him an embarrassing pink card in a shamefully acrimonious post-match melee.
Nahuel Molina: 6
Got here on for Montiel and made a notable intervention to dam an Olmo try which will have been goal-bound.
On an off-night for his crew, Atleti’s Molina accomplished lower than 70% of his passes.
Facundo Medina: 5
On for Romero, Medina was troubled by Torres to maybe show why he was dropped on matchday three.
Giuliano Simeone: 5
On his third World Cup look, the 23-year-old spurned an opportunity to equalise through the closing levels.
Marcos Senesi: 6
Tottenham’s new signing got here on for Alvarez within the 102nd minute for his second aggressive worldwide match.
Argentina substitutes: Juan Musso, Geronimo Rulli, Valentin Barco, Giovani Lo Celso, Exequiel Palacios, Thiago Almada, Nico Paz, Jose Manuel Lopez, Lautaro Martinez
Spain vs Argentina: World Cup last 2026 stats
- This was the primary time the reigning Copa America champions had confronted the reigning European champions in a World Cup last
- Argentina had been the sixth reigning champions to succeed in a World Cup last – the primary two received (Italy in 1938 and Brazil in 1962), however the final 4 have misplaced (Argentina in 1990 and 2026, Brazil in 1998 and France in 2022)
- This was the primary time the 2 nations ranked first (Argentina) and second (Spain) in FIFA’s rankings had met at any stage of a World Cup
- Messi’s aspect had been competing of their seventh World Cup last, with solely Germany enjoying extra (8)
- The captain grew to become the second participant in World Cup historical past to look in three finals (2014, 2022 and 2026), together with Brazil’s Cafu (1994, 1998, 2002)
- At 39 years and 25 days of age, Messi grew to become the oldest outfield participant to look in a last
- Having received all seven of their matches on the 2026 version, Argentina didn’t develop into the primary crew since Brazil in 2002 (received 7/7) to have a 100% successful file at a single version
- Spain’s whole of seven clear sheets is essentially the most by any aspect at a single World Cup match and they’re unbeaten of their final 38 matches in all competitions since a 1-0 defeat to Colombia in March 2024
- They’ve set the longest ever unbeaten run by a European nation
