Spain are World Cup champions for the second time after Ferran Torres struck early in the second period of extra time to beat 10-man Argentina 1-0 in Sunday’s final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, denying Lionel Messi’s side a shot at back-to-back titles.
The match remained goalless through a tense and largely uneventful 90 minutes, with Spain dominating possession and territory throughout but struggling to turn control into clear chances.
Argentina, by contrast, offered almost nothing going forward in the first half, failing to register a shot or even a corner before the break.
Spain’s best opportunities came through Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo, both of whom saw efforts saved by Emiliano Martínez, who was a virtual spectator for long stretches but kept his side in the game with a string of routine and occasionally alert stops.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with Spain probing patiently while Argentina sat deep and looked to disrupt the rhythm of the game.
Spain made a flurry of substitutions in search of a breakthrough – Pedri, Torres, Mikel Merino and Nico Williams were all introduced – while Argentina’s changes were forced largely by injury, including the enforced withdrawal of Lisandro Martínez before halftime.
The game turned in the closing stages of normal time when Enzo Fernández was sent off for a second yellow card after a reckless challenge on Pau Cubarsi, leaving Argentina to play the final stretch of regulation time and the entirety of extra time a man short.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Argentina held firm through 90 minutes, forcing the match into extra time still level at 0-0.
Spain continued to dominate proceedings during the additional 30 minutes, peppering Martínez’s goal without finding a way through until Torres broke the deadlock two minutes into the second period of extra time, finishing to give Spain the lead they had long threatened.
Argentina, already down to 10 men, were unable to respond, with their attacking threat further reduced by a late substitution that left Messi essentially isolated as their only recognised forward for the remainder of the match.
The victory secures Spain’s second World Cup title, following their maiden triumph in 2010, and ends Argentina’s bid to become only the third nation in history – after Italy in the late 1930s and Brazil in the early 1960s – to win successive World Cups.
It also likely marks the end of Messi’s World Cup career at international level, with the 39-year-old having played what is almost certainly his final match at the tournament.
For Spain, the win caps a near-flawless run through the competition, having gone the tournament without conceding more than once in any match, and confirms the emergence of Yamal, still only 19, as one of the standout figures of the new global game.
(The Whistler)