Spain are world champions again. On Sunday, July 19, 2026, Barcelona forward Spain Ferran Torres scored a dramatic extra-time winner to give Spain a 1-0 victory over Argentina in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The win ended a 16-year wait since Spain’s first World Cup triumph in 2010 and denied Lionel Messi’s Argentina a chance to defend their title.
Here’s everything you need to know about the man of the moment, Ferran Torres, and how Spain sealed their second World Cup crown.
Ferran Torres Scores the Winning Goal in Extra Time
Torres, who had come on as a 62nd-minute substitute for Mikel Oyarzabal, struck in the 106th minute- just 39 seconds into the second period of extra time- to break a stubborn deadlock. The goal came from a well-worked Spanish move: Pedro Porro whipped in a cross from deep, Nico Williams headed it back across the box, and Torres finished powerfully with his left foot to beat Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez.
It was a fitting end to a match Spain dominated from start to finish. La Roja piled on the pressure throughout normal time, racking up 15 shots to Argentina’s none in regulation, while also winning nine corners to Argentina’s one. Despite barely threatening Spain’s goal, Argentina- reduced to ten men late on after Enzo Fernández picked up a second yellow card for a reckless foul- somehow held out until extra time before finally cracking.
Martínez, for his part, was outstanding for large stretches, pulling off a string of saves to keep Argentina in the contest before Torres eventually found a way past him.
Ferran Torres Matches Andrés Iniesta’s Iconic World Cup Feat
By scoring the winning goal in a World Cup final, Torres joined an exclusive club. He became only the second Spanish player, after Andrés Iniesta, to score in a FIFA World Cup final.
The parallels with 2010 are striking. In that final against the Netherlands in Johannesburg, Iniesta scored in the second half of extra time to hand Spain a 1-0 win and their first-ever World Cup title. Sixteen years later, Torres wrote his own piece of history with an almost identical script- an extra-time strike sealing a 1-0 victory in a World Cup final.
Who Is Ferran Torres? Career Journey So Far
Ferran Torres is a 26-year-old Spanish forward who currently plays for FC Barcelona in La Liga. Here’s a quick look at his career path:
- Valencia (early career): Torres came through the ranks at Valencia, where he spent three seasons in the first team, scoring 9 goals in 97 appearances across all competitions.
- Manchester City (2020-2021): He moved to the Premier League to play under Pep Guardiola, scoring 16 goals in 43 matches. During his time at City, he won the Premier League title in the 2020-21 season and reached the UEFA Champions League final the same year.
- FC Barcelona (2021-present): Torres joined Barcelona in the 2021-22 season and has since scored 65 goals in 207 appearances across all competitions over five seasons.
Ferran Torres’ Record With the Spain National Team
Torres made his senior debut for Spain in 2020 and has been a regular fixture in the squad ever since. His numbers for La Roja include:
- 25 goals in 64 appearances for Spain
- A place in Spain’s squad at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where he scored twice against Costa Rica on November 23, 2022
- Two goals during Spain’s FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign
- The extra-time winner in the 2026 World Cup final against Argentina
A Heartbreaking End to Messi’s World Cup Dream
For Argentina and Lionel Messi, the result was a bitter disappointment. Argentina had been chasing a fourth straight major title after winning the Copa América in 2021 and 2024, sandwiched around their 2022 World Cup triumph. Instead, what may have been Messi’s final World Cup appearance for Argentina ended in defeat.
Spain’s title also came with a historic defensive record: the team conceded just one goal across the entire tournament, the fewest ever by a World Cup-winning side, despite playing eight matches- more than any previous champion. Head coach Luis de la Fuente, at 65, became the oldest coach ever to lead a team to World Cup glory.
Final Word
Ferran Torres’ extra-time strike will go down as one of the defining moments of the 2026 World Cup- a goal that lifted Spain to their second world title, matched a legend in Iniesta, and closed the door on Argentina’s bid for back-to-back championships. For Torres, a player who has quietly built a strong career across Valencia, Manchester City, and Barcelona, this moment cements his place in Spanish football history.