Spain's persistence pays off to win 2026 World Cup...
-- Ferran Torres' goal early in the second period of extra time was enough as Spain secured their second World Cup with a 1-0 win at New York/New Jersey...
Key points
- -- Ferran Torres' goal early in the second period of extra time was enough as Spain secured their second World Cup with a 1-0 win at New York/New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium) on Sunday.
- The game itself followed the script many had predicted, with Spain possessing more of the ball and Argentina waiting for their moment to find Lionel Messi.
- But Spain were simply fresher and more technically gifted than previous opponents, and the end result is that Argentina's first shot of any kind came in the 115th minute, a record of futility for a World Cup.
- - Ratings: Messi 3/10 in sad Argentina loss - World Cup 2026: All results and feature coverage Messi had said this was his last World Cup, and he left the stage after a tournament that saw him record eight goals and four assists.
What happened
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-- Ferran Torres' goal early in the second period of extra time was enough as Spain secured their second World Cup with a 1-0 win at New York/New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium) on Sunday. The game itself followed the script many had predicted, with Spain possessing more of the ball and Argentina waiting for their moment to find Lionel Messi. But Spain were simply fresher and more technically gifted than previous opponents, and the end result is that Argentina's first shot of any kind came in the 115th minute, a record of futility for a World Cup. - Ratings: Messi 3/10 in sad Argentina loss - World Cup 2026: All results and feature coverage Messi had said this was his last World Cup, and he left the stage after a tournament that saw him record eight goals and four assists. -- Gab Marcotti Persistence pays off for Spain It was a hard watch for much of the time, and arguably the worst World Cup final in living memory, but Spain held their nerve and beat Argentina through sheer persistence and belief that their superior quality would win in the end. -- Marcotti 'Dibu' Martinez nearly succeeded in keeping Argentina alive Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez will be remembered as the only...