Spain is bringing the World Cup trophy home. And it took 106 minutes to get it done.
Ferran Torres played the hero on Sunday, burying a clutch goal in extra time to lift Spain to a 1-0 win over Lionel Messi and Argentina. The stadium went quiet for a second before the Spanish side erupted. Argentina pushed hard in the final moments but couldn’t find an equalizer.
Torres scored in the 106th minute. Argentina had chances before that — a couple of dangerous runs from Messi in the first half of extra time, a free kick that sailed just wide. But Spain’s defense held firm. And then Torres got the ball in the box, took a touch, and finished clean.
The goal itself was a thing of beauty in a game that had been mostly tight and nervy. Both teams traded fouls and possession in the first 90 minutes. Neither side wanted to make a mistake. It felt like one of those finals where a single moment would decide everything. And it did.
Here’s the video of the goal. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s worth your time.
FERRAN TORRES SCORES FOR SPAIN IN THE SECOND HALF OF EXTRA TIME 🤯😱
SPAIN ARE 15 MINUTES AWAY FROM BEATING ARGENTINA AND WINNING THE FIFA WORLD CUP 🇪🇸
UNREAL 🍿 pic.twitter.com/eE4r5SPeHJ
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 19, 2026
This is Spain’s first World Cup title since 2010, when they beat the Netherlands in extra time in Johannesburg. That run was built around tiki-taka and midfield control. This squad is different — younger, more direct, with Torres emerging as a genuine star. He was the tournament’s top scorer with six goals, and he saved his most important one for the final.
For Argentina and Messi, it’s a bitter end. Messi played well — he had a few moments where it looked like he might pull off something special. But Spain’s back line, anchored by Aymeric Laporte, never gave him a clean look. Messi walked off the field with his hands on his hips, staring at the pitch. It’s probably his last World Cup. He’ll be 39 by the time 2030 rolls around.
There’s no official word yet on whether Messi will retire from international duty. But the team has not confirmed anything. Fans online noted the contrast between this loss and Argentina’s win in 2022. That one felt destined. This one just ended.
As for Spain? They’ll fly home with a trophy that nobody saw coming at the start of the tournament. They weren’t the favorites. But they found a way. And Ferran Torres made sure that story had a happy ending.
This story is still developing.
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