New York (GNP): Spain were crowned world champions for the second time on Sunday after Ferran Torres struck in the 106th minute to see off a resolute but reduced Argentina side 1-0 in extra time at the New York/New Jersey Stadium, sealing football’s greatest prize in a final that tested patience more than it dazzled.
Torres converted from close range after Pedro Porro whipped in a cross from the left and substitute Nico Williams flicked a header into his path, giving the Spanish forward the simplest of finishes past a diving Emiliano Martinez. It was Torres’s only goal of the tournament, and it arrived on Spain’s twentieth attempt on goal in a match in which Argentina had managed none.
The victory extended Spain’s remarkable record in major tournaments. They remain the only nation to have won a European Championship and a World Cup in successive tournaments, having now achieved the feat twice, and they became the first World Cup winners to concede just a single goal across an entire campaign. With the men’s team’s triumph, Spain also became the first country ever to hold both the men’s and women’s World Cup titles simultaneously.
Argentina’s task grew harder in the closing stages of normal time when midfielder Enzo Fernandez, already on a yellow card, was shown a second by referee Slavko Vincic for a reckless challenge on Pau Cubarsi, reducing the defending champions to ten men heading into extra time. Martinez had kept Argentina in the contest until that point, producing a string of saves, including a crucial stop to deny Lamine Yamal’s free-kick in the dying moments of normal time and another to thwart Williams shortly after.
For Lionel Messi, the match may have marked the end of a World Cup career that has defined a generation. At 39, the Argentine captain finished the tournament with eight goals and four assists but was tightly marshalled by Spain’s defence in the final, managing only a single effort that failed to trouble the goal. It was a quiet close to a run that had earlier seen him inspire Argentina’s semi-final win over England.
The occasion itself carried the weight of spectacle beyond the pitch. United States President Donald Trump arrived at the stadium by helicopter ahead of kick-off, while Shakira, Madonna and Justin Bieber headlined an extended half-time show that stretched the interval to 27 minutes, the longest in World Cup history.
Speaking after the final whistle, Torres credited the moment to instinct rather than calculation. “I didn’t think too much. I just saw the ball coming to me, and I just shot with the power of all the Spanish people,” he said.
Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente, who at 65 became the oldest coach to win a World Cup, praised the collective effort behind the triumph. “We are world champions,” he said. “It was together we reached this stage.”
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Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni was gracious in defeat, acknowledging Spain’s superiority on the day. “They were the better side, that’s the truth, but I’ll cherish the memory of them, of what they achieved, and of the value of making it this far,” Scaloni said. “We have to place immense value on this, because it takes so much effort.”
Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal was named player of the match, capping a tournament in which he emerged as one of the standout performers on the world stage.
Managing Editor at Global News Pakistan (GNP), with a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from Riphah International University, graduated with a Gold Medal. Reach out at sabahtareengnp@gmail.com
