World Cup Final 2026: Spain Dethrone Argentina 1-0, Seal Messi's World Cup Exit With Zero-Shots On Target
Eniola Olagunju Sunday, July 20, 2026, East Rutherford, New Jersey, witnessed Spain as world champions again after six weeks of football. Fourteen years after their last win, La Roja beat Argentina 1-0 in extra time on Sunday to lift the FIFA World Cup, and they did it by handing Lionel Messi and Argentina a statistic no defending champion has ever had to explain: a history of zero shots on target in an entire World Cup final. It was Ferran Torres who wrote his name into Spanish football history, burying a header from Nico Williams just 39 seconds into the second period of extra time to settle a final that had refused to yield for 105 goalless minutes. The goal sent New York/New Jersey Stadium into delirium and confirmed what had been building all afternoon: Spain were the better side, by distance, in control and Argentina simply could not find a way to match the energy. The first half set the tone of the match early. Spain, patient and precise, strung passes to...