Spain 1-0 Argentina: Torres goal in extra time wins 2026 World Cup for Spain

Kylian Mbappe takes home the Golden Boot and Rodri gets the Golden Ball.

Here’s the full list of 2026 World Cup award winners.

Rodri received the trophy from FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Spain are officially world champions for the second time.

Late on Argentina are pushing hard as Tagliafico almost gets in at the near post but Spain clear for a corner.

Messi whips in two corners, the first of which is scrambled clear at the near post. The second finds Simeone but he hammers over the bar.

Just a few minutes for Argentina to hold on.

What a play from Nico Williams.

A huge cross is a bit too deep for Williams but he makes the most of it, knocking it back onto a plate if a Spanish player is coming for it.

And Ferran Torres, is burying his chance in the roof of the goal.

A cross from the left from Williams finds Merino at the back post.

He flicks a header towards goal but can’t get enough on it as it drifts just wide.

Spain thought that was the moment.

Argentina are hanging on at the end of the first half of extra time.

The cross comes in and Otamendi goes down as Merino stood on his foot.

The play continues and Merino couldn’t get to the loose ball, but the ball dropped for Nico Williams and he slotted home.

But the referee had blown his whistle for a foul.

It seemed certain that VAR would intervene, but replays show the slight touch by Merino.

It’s as good of a save as you’ll see from Emiliano Martinez.

Spain spin a cross over the banks of Argentine defenders and Inaki Williams arrives to head it from close range.

But no! Martinez gets low to his right for a glorious save.

Some of these stats are just mind-boggling.

Argentina are the first team in history to not have a shot in a World Cup final.

They have had two touches in Spain’s box.

Argentina had 337 passes to Spain’s 647.

Total domination from Spain but it’s still 0-0. That’s the only stat Argentina will care about.

A central stoppage-time free kick from Lamine Yamal is saved by Emiliano Martinez and the corner kick comes to nothing.

It remains scoreless and Argentina are now down to 10 men for extra time.

Shot attempts are 15-0 for Spain, who have 66% of the ball through 90 minutes. Spain have completed nearly 600 passes and Argentina are below 300... with two total touches in the Spain 18-yard box.

The Chelsea man is on yellow as he bulls through the legs of Cubarsi.

It’s a second yellow, and it can be reviewed by VAR. Argentina would love to see this as a standard foul and not a second yellow.

He’s off. No reprieve from VAR.

Some lovely passes from Spain to cut through the entire Argentina midfield and defense.

It ends with a clipped ball over the top from Mikel Merino to Ferran Torres.

He snatches at the shot a little and scuffs it wide.

That was a decent chance.

Nico Williams is in down the right and clips a delightful cross to the back post.

Aymeric Laporte is there and his header is on target.

Emiliano Martinez saves and Laporte couldn’t quite generate the power on it he needed.

11 shots for Spain, eight on target. Argentina have zero shots. Nothing at all.

Nico Williams and Mikel Merino are on for Baena and Olmo.

Merino has a knack of scoring big goals late on. Just saying.

Spain’s options off the bench are very impressive and Argentina have had to waste two subs to replace injured center backs.

Spain are all over Argentina and they should be ahead.

Lamine Yamal tricks his way to the byline on the right and clips a perfect ball back to Ferran Torres centrally.

He has a free header but puts it straight at a grateful Emiliano Martinez.

Argentina are so desperate for the hydration break, which comes after an injury to Cristian Romero.

Lionel Messi has a concerned look on his face.

A couple of late challenges fly in from Argentina as Spain are toying with them.

Advantage is played and it ends with Dani Olmo’s shot bouncing up and Emiliano Martinez pushing the ball around the post awkwardly.

Argentina just can’t get out and Martinez flaps at a corner but Argentina scramble it clear.

It’s the 66th minute and Argentina are yet to have a shot of any kind.

We didn’t even get to tell you that Leandro Paredes was in the game, as he was a halftime sub for Nico Gonzalez.

He announced his arrival with an off-ball elbow into the back of Rodri — as one does — and is in the book with a yellow card.

Really sloppy start to the second half from Argentina as they give the ball away multiple times in defense.

The latest sees a slack ball played from left back across the pitch and Alex Baena picks it up.

He cuts inside well and has plenty of space for a shot, but his effort is tame and Martinez saves easily.

Spain have been dominant so far but are just lacking that clinical edge in the final third.

And here comes Burna Boy to join her.

Does the Colombian singer Shakira want Spain to win or Argentina?

As Bieber strums his acoustic guitar, Shakira enters a different area of the field in a pink dress, flanked by a couple dozen dancers in yellow and orange garb.

Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt are giving a pep talk to Justin Bieber ahead of his moment in the sun.

Literally. It is bright and hot in New Jersey.

Where’s Springsteen, at least one 44-year-old wonders in his NBC live blog?

After a Norwegian row by the midfield orchestra, BTS is on the field to sing their biggest hit.

By biggest hit, it’s the only one I know is definitely a BTS song.

She’s in the back of a car being driven by Ronaldo and Ronaldinho.

But are they here?

The song is “Music” ... and she is here with the two Brazilian legends.

There’s a colorful tapestry laid over the grass with a soccer ball-slash-world as its main calling card.

FIFA are living their best “We are one” life.

Spain have been totally dominant in that first half and Argentina have hardly got on the ball at all.

65 percent of possession for Spain, with Argentina having a 0.00 xG and zero touches in the Argentina box with no shots attempted.

Only Julian Alvarez and Nicolas Otamendi (who’s been on the pitch for a few minutes) have fewer touches than Lionel Messi (15) in that first half.

Spain will just keep on trucking but Argentina have looked totally devoid of energy and just can’t find Messi and Julian Alvarez.

Marc Cucurella gets his head up from distance and thinks, why not?

He drills a low shot towards the far corner but it is a bobbly effort and goes wide.

Still, that was a decent pop at goal. Spain are all over Argentina.

Argentina have been quite fortunate to avoid discipline in this one but that run cannot continue any longer.

There’s no doubt that Lisandro Martinez’s take-down of a hopeful Mikel Oyarzabal is a yellow card for a professional foul.

0-0, 40'

Spain are popping the ball around really nicely and they get a big chance to take the lead from it.

The ball is flicked around the corner and eventually it finds Mikel Oyarzabal.

He takes the shot early but his low drive is just a bit too close to Emiliano Martinez.

Martinez saves fairly easily in the end and Oyarzabal is annoyed with himself.

We weren’t going to do this until it became clear that the who’s who’s is happening in New Jersey.

On top of Tom Cruise, Shakira, Post Malone, and others involved in the show, we’ve seen...

Mick Jagger
Sofia Vergara
Matt Damon
Beyonce
Jay-Z
Robbie Williams
Anya Taylor Joy
Rihanna
ASAP Rocky
David Beckham
Trevor Noah
Common
Dwyane Wade
Gabrielle Union
Rob Gronkowski
Kylie Jenner
Timothee Chalamet
Brad Pitt
Anna Kendrick
Julia Garner
James Harden

Spain have had the better chances and have looked more dangerous.

It seems like Argentina have been taken back by the high-press from Spain.

Lionel Messi has had a few touches on the ball and has been fouled just before the break.

But it is teenager Lamine Yamal who looks more dangerous and sharp and everything good from Spain is flowing through him.

Argentina look a little tired and the extra 24 hours of rest looks to have been a real boost for Spain.

A long ball to the right finds Lamine Yamal.

He controls the ball with the softest touch possible out of the air as the crowd gasps in delight. He then crosses into a really dangerous area.

Martinez saves but two Spanish forwards should have got across their man to finish.

Excellent play from Yamal.

Dani Olmo is chopped down with a scissor tackle by Alexis Mac Allister but no card arrives for the Liverpool man.

It felt almost like an ‘orange’ card but instead it’s another warning.

The teenager cuts onto his left foot and sees a fifth-minute cross blocked but it’s snapped right back to him inside the 18.

Yamal’s low close-range shot-cross is deflected toward Martinez’s goal and causes trouble for him. The Villa man does so well to collect it.

Spain make a mistake the other way but Lionel Messi cannot win a race with Unai Simon. Maybe a few years ago....

We are off and running here at New York New Jersey Stadium, and this was the scene just before kick off.

Just sensational.

Spain!

Pedro Porro puts in a big second-minute tackle as La Roja look prepared to meet the nastiness of Argentina, whose lineup also seems designed for a fight.

Jennifer Hudson with a spell-binding anthem.

Fighter jets.

Tom Cruise giving a performance to remind people that it is the World Cup Final.

All in front of a crowd which feels 80/20 in favor of the Albiceleste.

Spain and Argentina have both come out for their warm ups and there is a big cheer when Spain arrive.

There’s an even bigger roar when Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, walk out onto the pitch.

Judging by the shirts in the stands here, I’d say there’s 60 percent Argentina fans here.

This is like a home game for Argentina. It is very clear.

Luis de la Fuente hasn’t sprung any shocks with his starting lineup for the World Cup final.

The same solid defensive unit sticks together, as Spain have conceded just once at this tournament.

De la Fuente hasn’t made any changes to Spain’s starting lineup for the wins against Belgium and France and now the starting lineup against Argentina.

And why would he? The balance looks perfect.

Spain lineup confirmed

Simon; Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Ruiz; Yamal, Olmo, Baena; Oyarzabal

Starting XI: E. Martinez, Tagliafico, L. Martinez, Romero, Romero, Montiel, Gonzalez, Mac Allister, Fernandez, De Paul, Alvarez, Messi

Leandro Paredes starts the game on the bench, as do Giuliano Simeone and Lautaro Martinez.

Spain wins: 6
Argentina wins: 6
Draws: 2

1952: Spain 0-1 Argentina
1953: Argentina 1-0 Spain
1960: Argentina 2-0 Spain
1961: Spain 2-0 Argentina
1966: Argentina 2-1 Spain (World Cup group stage)
1972: Spain 1-0 Argentina
1974: Argentina 1-1 Spain
1988: Spain 1-1 Argentina
1995: Spain 2-1 Argentina
1999: Spain 0-2 Argentina
2006: Spain 2-1 Argentina
2009: Spain 2-1 Argentina
2010: Argentina 4-1 Spain
2018: Spain 6-1 Argentina
2026: ??? (World Cup final)

To stand in the long media line mentioned by Joe in his previous upset makes a huge impression, especially as MetLife Stadium looms in the foreground.

The volume of media in the line is almost eclipsed, however, by the number of familiar faces waiting in it. Ex-Brentford and Spurs wizard Thomas Frank was sharing a word with Joe while NBC luminary and former England back Lee Dixon chatted with former Glasgow Rangers player Ally McCoist.

All this while the dancers for the huge halftime show waited their turn to meet the Secret Service in what is shaping up to be quite a safe space considering the foreign dignitaries including the American president on hand for this World Cup Final.

1978: Champions
1982: Group stage
1986: Champions
1990: Runners-up
1994: Round of 16
1998: Quarterfinals
2002: Group stage
2006: Quarterfinals
2010: Quarterfinals
2014: Runners-up
2018: Round of 16
2022: Champions
2026: ???

The NBC Sports crew of myself and the great Nicholas Mendola are inside the stadium here in New Jersey after a lengthy wait in the security line outside for almost 90 minutes.

Media from all over the world are here, with the sheer scale of this final clear to see when you chat to people from all types of media organizations.

This feels massive, and of course it is, and there are so many excited Argentina and Spain fans running towards the stadium almost in disbelief that they are here.

This is it. This is the final. The goosebumps have arrived.

And that’s just for us neutrals here in the press box!

1986: Quarterfinals
1990: Round of 16
1994: Quarterfinals
1998: Group stage
2002: Quarterfinals
2006: Round of 16
2010: Champions
2014: Group stage
2018: Round of 16
2022: Round of 16
2026: ???

Group stage: 3-0 win vs Algeria; 2-0 win vs Austria; 3-1 win vs Jordan
Round of 32: 3-2 win (AET) vs Cape Verde
Round of 16: 3-2 win vs Egypt
Quarterfinals: 3-1 win (AET) vs Switzerland
Semifinals: 2-1 win vs England

Group stage: 0-0 draw vs Cape Verde; 4-0 win vs Saudi Arabia; 1-0 win vs Uruguay
Round of 32: 3-0 win vs Austria
Round of 16: 1-0 win vs Portugal
Quarterfinals: 2-1 win vs Belgium
Semifinals: 2-0 win vs France

Here’s how you can watch Spain against Argentina in the World Cup final.

I mean, what else are you going to do today? It’s the World Cup final!

How to watch Spain vs Argentina live, stream link and start time

Kick off time: 3pm ET Sunday (July 19)
Venue: MetLife Stadium — New Jersey
TV Channel: Telemundo
Streaming: Stream live on Peacock, en Espanol

New York City has been buzzing about this World Cup final for some time and this weekend it has been electric.

Speaking to locals about what this means for New York, it’s clear this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“The United States are known as being the melting pot of the world, and New York City is the hub of it all,” Kevin Alwell, who is originally from New Jersey and is going to the final on Sunday, said. “So just to see all the different cultures and countries being in the city and kind of rally together around the tournament, the last month has been unreal. So I’m looking forward to seeing the final.”

Here’s the full article on why New York is the perfect place to host this final.

I’ve been lucky enough to be in New York City over the last few days and it has been pretty magical.

There is so much excitement for this final and fans of Argentina are everywhere.

Spain have plenty of supporters too, but this feels like a home game for Argentina.

Here are a few videos and photos from around New York, as Argentina fans have gone all out, even with storms and heavy rain rolling through on Saturday.