World Cup
FIFA World
Cup 2026
Advertisement
live
Updated
Spain defeated Lionel Messi’s Argentina in extra time to win the 2026 World Cup.
Substitute Ferran Torres struck in the second half of extra time to secure Spain’s second World Cup after a disappointing Argentina were reduced to 10 men.
The defending champions did not register an attempt on goal until the 117th minute and fell short in their bid to become only the third nation to retain the World Cup.
Instead, Messi’s glorious World Cup career ended in heartbreak at the age of 39.
Tanya Lolonis, an American reader of The Athletic living in Vienna, Austria, has shared some of her reflections on the tournament, including what stood out and what needs to change.
Thanks for sending in those thoughts, Tanya!
The Spain squad has touched down back in Madrid, the trophy safely in the hands of captain Rodri.
Spain are two-time World Cup winners thanks to Ferran Torres' extra-time strike at MetLife Stadium.
Their victory against Argentina, writes Oliver Kay, was a triumph of teamwork, of intelligent, controlled possession football, and of composure in contrast to their opponents’ aggression and paucity of attacking ambition.
Read more here.
GO FURTHER
Spain are worthy World Cup winners. It’s a victory for method over madness
As Spain’s World Cup-winning heroes assembled on the podium, opponents Argentina, bedraggled and beaten, turned their backs.
It marked the culmination of a tetchy, petulant and distasteful performance by the now deposed world champions, which left them a man short on the field for the 30 minutes of extra time, and starting bar-room-type brawls on the pitch after the final whistle.
In the heat of battle, scuffles and skirmishes can happen. Their shunning of the Spanish coronation, however, felt uniquely unappealing, a show of disrespect to the winners of the most high-profile sporting event in the world.
It was, however, entirely in keeping with a charmless Argentine showing which offered little by way of substance or style over the 120 minutes.
GO FURTHER
Argentina disgraced themselves, and the World Cup final, with their charmless petulance
If you were hoping to finish this World Cup with a free-flowing game full of great football, endless attacking and loads of goals, you should have made Saturday’s third place play-off your last match to watch.
Spain versus Argentina in the final 24 hours later was never going to be a purists’ classic, but what unfolded was undoubtedly the dirtiest final since 2010, when the Spanish also faced aggressive, uncompromising opponents — the Netherlands.
Football won that day, with Spain edging it in extra time via the game’s only goal, and the same happened here.
But just how dirty was the 2026 World Cup final? We’ve picked out the most niggly moments.
GO FURTHER
How Argentina turned the World Cup final dirty with shoves, skulduggery and squealing
Rodri's career for club and country has been elite. He's now won the World Cup, the European Championships, the Champions League, and the Ballon d'Or.
Only three other players have collected that same quartet of awards, according to Opta — Gerd Müller, Franz Beckenbauer and Zinedine Zidane.
These were the scenes at a fan zone in Buenos Aires last night as fans wept following Argentina's World Cup final defeat.
A good stat I’ve uncovered in terms of Argentina’s woes during the World Cup final.
Paraguay managed more touches in the attacking third in their much maligned round of 16 clash against France (40), than Argentina did against Spain in 90 minutes of the World Cup final (39).
Only two teams managed fewer in games at this tournament than Argentina in the final: Cape Verde against Spain (26) and 9-man Qatar in their 6-0 group loss to Canada (also 26).
The pitch at MetLife Stadium became a source of criticism throughout this World Cup, including today.
But several NFL players, including San Francisco 49ers star George Kittle and running back Breece Hall — whose New York Jets play their home games at MetLife — have made it clear they prefer those grass surfaces to the stadium's usual artificial turf.
PLEASE https://t.co/VJwLgDcpSB
Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund delivered a welcome reminder to football purists straight after the World Cup concluded.
Hydration breaks are officially over after today. pic.twitter.com/fhEV7akkLd
Spanish basketball legend Pau Gasol was at MetLife Stadium to watch Spain’s triumph in person, while Argentine basketball Hall of Famer Manu Ginobili posted on X:
💬 “Congratulations Spain! Well-deserved world champion.
“Epic championship from Argentina! Thanks guys for everything!”
CAMPEONES DEL MUNDO 🏆🌎 pic.twitter.com/StbR9SUtU7
And here were the celebratory messages from Spain midfielders Dani Olmo and Fabian Ruiz on X following their World Cup triumph.
Terrassa.
Barcelona.
Zagreb.
Leipzig.
Barcelona.
Nueva York.
❤️🌎 pic.twitter.com/qfjdFvaxDn
¡¡¡CAMPEONES DEL MUNDO 🏆!!! pic.twitter.com/sqVloXiUVf
Spain right-back Marc Pubill posted his own celebratory message early last night, with an honest admission:
💬 “I’m drunk.”
CAMPEONES DEL MUNDO!!!🇪🇸
ABSOLUT CUCURRUCU!
(Voy borracho) pic.twitter.com/TdG26yRmCQ
And here is the aforementioned Carlos Alcaraz joining in Spain's celebrations.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion hasn't had the chance to play much tennis recently due to injury — hence the long hair, I’m assuming — but he did get himself down on the pitch with Lamine Yamal.
It looks like he held off actually touching the trophy though.
Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz was at the World Cup final and took part in a pregame ceremony by delivering the trophy onto the pitch.
Countryman Rafael Nadal was not at the final, but the tennis legend (a huge football fan) was watching along. Here's his reaction right when the final whistle blew.
VAMOOOOOOOS 🇪🇸🏆
¡CAMPEONES DEL MUNDO POR SEGUNDA VEZ! ⭐️⭐️ pic.twitter.com/IbkSFwOqgy
These are the incredible scenes in Valencia last night as Spanish World Cup celebrations started and surely continued well into the small hours.
Valencia put on a show after Spain were crowned FIFA World Cup Champions 🎆
(via @Pableraso) pic.twitter.com/13YEPEndlb
Celebrations from last night's victory continued late into the night in Madrid and across Spain — and no doubt we'll see more of the same today as the team arrives back home.
We'll keep bringing you the reaction from Spain's triumph over the course of the day.
Describe this tournament in three words.
Nancy Froston: “Super-sized. Chaotic. Blockbuster.”
Max Mathews: “Intense. Controversial. Bizarre.”
George Ramsay: “Messi. Bathed. Yamal.”
Austin Green: “Football. Bloody hell.”
Liliana Michelena: “Chaotic. Tear-jerking. Enough.”
Michael Dominski: “Never-ending. Thrilling. Muppets.”
Ed Mackey: “Exciting. Excellent. Expensive.”
What do you want to see change in 2030?
Nancy Froston: “Less posturing towards politicians. From Messi being made to wear a bisht while lifting the World Cup in 2022 to Donald Trump lurking beside Spain’s trophy presentation this year, politics has been far too visible during the tournament’s biggest moments. It will not change, but we can dream.”
Max Mathews: “No hydration breaks unless they are strictly necessary — and no advertising during them. No unnecessarily punitive visa restrictions on foreign supporters. No political interference with the action on the pitch. No dynamic pricing. I could keep going. How long have you got?”
Austin Green: “Hopefully the heads of state of 2030 co-hosts Spain, Portugal and Morocco do not try to pressure Gianni Infantino into overturning any controversial decisions against their players. That would be nice.”
Liliana Michelena: “Less politics, less shameless cosying up to power, less sports industry, more sport. Good luck with that, though.”
Michael Dominski: “As much fun as the additional teams brought to this tournament, I would love to see the group stage return to a format in which only the top two sides in each group advance. That would require either reducing the field to 32 teams, which will never happen, or expanding it to 64 … ”
Team Stats
ESP
ARG
Game Details