The night of July 19–20 will go down in football history: Spain – Argentina 1–0 (after extra time) — that is the final score of the 2026 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Ferran Torres, introduced as a substitute in the second half, scored the only goal in the 106th minute to bring the Red Fury their second World Cup title ever. For those following the 2026 World Cup match schedule in Kyiv time, the final kicked off at 22:00 Kyiv time — and ended well past midnight.
Night's Results
Spain – Argentina 1–0 (after extra time). 2026 World Cup Final
Match 104, the last of the tournament, proved to be a true clash of two footballing philosophies. Spain dominated possession from the first minutes: 60% ball control, 20 shots on goal, 12 on target. Argentina, meanwhile, built a solid defensive wall — goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez stopped 11 shots, setting a World Cup final record for saves. Regulation time and the first half of extra time ended goalless.
The turning point came in the 90+3rd minute: Enzo Fernández made a reckless challenge on Pau Cubarsí, received his second yellow card, and left Argentina with ten men. In the 106th minute, Pedro Porro lifted the ball to the far post, Lamine Yamal kept it in play and cut it back to the centre — Torres fired it under the crossbar. Spain are world champions for the second time since 2010.
Man of the Match: Ferran Torres (Spain) — goal in the 106th minute, came on as a substitute in the 62nd minute for Mikel Oyarzabal. Red card: Enzo Fernández (Argentina) — 90+3' (2nd yellow). Referee: Slavko Vinčić (Slovenia).
Tournament Summary
The 2026 World Cup is over. Spain claimed their second World Cup title, becoming the third team in history — after Spain 2008–2010 and West Germany 1972–1974 — to win the European Championship and the World Cup back to back. Argentina, who sought to become the first team in 64 years to win the World Cup twice in a row, fell at the final hurdle. Spain finished the tournament with a record of just 1 goal conceded in 8 matches. In total, 104 matches were played at the 2026 World Cup, with a record 307+ goals scored.
Final medal table: 🥇 Spain, 🥈 Argentina, 🥉 England (who beat France 6–4 in the bronze-medal match — more details in the third-place match report).
Off the Pitch
- Torres' post-match statement: "This goal belongs to 47 million people. Fate was written — we were meant to win far from home," said the Spain forward.
- Messi — tears and uncertainty: 39-year-old Lionel Messi, who became the first player in history to appear in three World Cup finals, admitted after the match: "I'm sad. They were better, honestly." The question of his international retirement remains open — no official announcement has been made. According to TyC Sports, Messi plans to continue playing for Argentina at least until the end of 2026.
- Scaloni hints at departure: Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni left his future in the role in doubt after the defeat. "I feel sadness, but I know we gave everything," he said at the press conference. Fox Sports reports that Scaloni hinted at a possible resignation.
- Tournament records: Spain set a record among World Cup winners — just 1 goal conceded in 8 matches. Coach Luis de la Fuente (65) became the oldest manager to win the World Cup. Spain's unbeaten run across all competitions reached 38 matches, surpassing Italy's record from 2018–2021.
The 2026 World Cup is over — the next World Cup will take place in 2030. The full match schedule in Kyiv time and playoff results are available in our previous articles.
See also: Groups F and E: who leads after matchday one and what is at stake tonight
Photo: Steven Goff · Editorial (source)
