Agencies | New Jersey:
pain claimed their first FIFA World Cup title in dramatic fashion, defeating defending champions Argentina 1-0 after extra time in Sunday’s final, with substitute Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal in the 106th minute.
After dominating possession and creating the bulk of the scoring opportunities throughout the match, Spain finally found the breakthrough early in the second period of extra time. Torres reacted quickest to a bouncing ball inside the penalty area and calmly fired a left-footed shot beneath the crossbar to beat Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano MartÃnez.
Argentina endured a difficult finish after midfielder Enzo Fernández was sent off in second-half stoppage time for a reckless challenge on Spain defender Pau CubarsÃ, receiving his second yellow card. Reduced to 10 men, the reigning champions were forced to play the remainder of the contest at a numerical disadvantage.
Spain came close to sealing victory before extra time when Lamine Yamal curled a dangerous free-kick from 22 yards toward the top corner. However, MartÃnez produced a stunning save—his 10th of the match, the most ever recorded in a World Cup final—to keep Argentina alive and force an additional 30 minutes.
The statistics highlighted Spain’s dominance. La Roja registered 15 shots during regulation time compared to none for Argentina, while also earning nine corner kicks to Argentina’s one. Despite controlling the contest for more than 90 minutes, Spain had to wait until extra time to secure the winning goal.
The victory also marked a historic milestone, making Spain the first nation to simultaneously hold both the men’s and women’s FIFA World Cup titles.
The final concluded the biggest World Cup in history, featuring 48 teams across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The expanded tournament comprised 104 matches and produced a record 308 goals, surpassing every previous edition of the competition.
The championship match attracted an array of global celebrities. Actors including Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Matt Damon, Will Ferrell, Cillian Murphy, Daniel Craig, Jennifer Connelly, Jennifer Hudson, Jon Hamm, Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker were among those in attendance.
The NBA was well represented with stars such as Stephen Curry, Victor Wembanyama, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Bronny James, Cade Cunningham, Cooper Flagg, Devin Booker, Donovan Mitchell, Draymond Green, Jalen Brunson, Jalen Williams, James Harden, Jaylen Brown, Karl-Anthony Towns, Kevin Durant and Tyrese Haliburton.
Sporting legends from across disciplines also attended, including Serena Williams, Carlos Alcaraz, Eli Manning, Patrick Mahomes, Odell Beckham Jr., Saquon Barkley, Mikaela Shiffrin, Lindsey Vonn, Kaká, David Beckham, Didier Drogba and Zinedine Zidane.
Entertainment was a major feature of the event. Post Malone headlined the closing ceremony ahead of kick-off, while FIFA staged its first-ever World Cup halftime show during a 27-minute interval. The performance featured Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira, BTS, Burna Boy, Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel, the PS22 Chorus alongside Coldplay, as well as appearances by characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets.
U.S. President Donald Trump attended the final and was scheduled to participate in the trophy presentation following the match. Speaking to Fox Sports before kick-off, Trump praised Argentina captain Lionel Messi, saying: “I won’t pick sides. I just think it’s very hard to bet against Messi. He’s great.”
