Spain Dethrones Argentina to Become Champions of 2026 World Cup

Duro Ikhazuagbe 

Champions of Europe, Spain, defeated defending champions Argentina 1-0 on Sunday night to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup inside the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, New York.

After a lackluster 90 minutes regulation time that was characterized by the South Americans playing more of defending game, in the 105th minute, Ferran Torres, lashed into the roof of the Argentina net from a Nico Williams cutback header for the only goal of the final.

The victory was a fitting conclusion for the European champions who like in 2010 when they won their only title at the World Cup in South Africa, had another player, Enzo Fernandez, sent off. At South Africa 2010, they beat the Netherlands with 10 men after John Heitinga was  similarly sent off.

And so, Argentina failed in their bid to emulate Brazil who won the trophy back-to-back in 1958 and 1962. Argentina won their third World Cup four years ago in Qatar.

For Lionel Messi, it appears sun has set on his illustrious career as he will be 43 at the next World Cup in 2030 to be jointly hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco. Last night, he finished the final with 54 touches, but just one shot off target. Messi also lost the chance to become the tournament’s highest  scorer to France’s Kylian Mbappé who scored 10 goals , two more than Messi.

On a day that Spain’s La Roja dominated the game from the blast of the whistle, it would have been very painful for the Europeans and their fans to lose the match. Statistics clearly showed Spain in perfect controls of the game with 20 shots in favour against only three from Argentina. Their 11 shots on target  only produced one goal with the Albiceleste having zero goal on target. 

Five yellow cards plus one red card given to Argentina  with only one to Spain again showed the desperation by the South Americans to cut corners to the trophy.

Deep into the extra time,  after the lone strike by Torres, the Barcelona forward again  appeared to have seal the victory when Spain got the ball on a counter-attack, and was all alone as he raced toward the goal and beat Emiliano Martínez again for an apparent 2-0 lead. But 

He was ruled offside by a shoulder, and Spain was left to survive a few wild minutes as Argentina, at last, produced two shots that threatened to forge a tie in the final moments. But they were clearly off target.

Argentina played with 10 men for the final 30 minutes after Fernández was sent off for picking up his second yellow card after his challenge sent Spain’s Pau Cubarsí flying, head over heels.

Spain whose women’s national team are the world champions have now added the men’s title and will reign for the next four years till the next mundial.