Spain are world champions again. Sixteen years after their first World Cup triumph, the nation secured its second gold by defeating Argentina 1–0 after extra time in a tight and dramatic final. The major turning point in the match came at the end of regular time when Argentina suffered a sending off.

The final in New York developed into a tactical battle where Spain clearly dominated play, but despite several scoring chances, the team failed to break the deadlock during regular time. Argentina mainly focused on defense and found it difficult to create threats up front.

A decisive moment came late in the second half when the score was still 0–0. Argentina’s midfielder Enzo Fernández, who plays for Chelsea, was cautioned for the second time in the match and was sent off.

With one extra man, Spain took clear control of the final and immediately put heavy pressure on a depleted Argentina during extra time.

The reward came in the 106th minute. Following a well-placed attack, the ball ended up with substitute Ferran Torres from FC Barcelona, who slotted in the 1–0 goal to give Spain the lead. The goal turned out to be the only one of the final.

The victory means Spain claims their second World Cup gold in history, the first since the 2010 triumph in South Africa. For Argentina, it was a bitter defeat. After the World Cup gold in 2022 in Qatar, the team now had to settle for the silver medal, and the final may also have been superstar Lionel Messi’s last appearance at a World Cup.

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