“God gives things to those who deserve them most”: Ferran Torres leads Spain beyond Argentina to World Cup glory

Ferran Torres completed a remarkable redemption story by scoring the winning goal as Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in the FIFA World Cup final, ending the South American champions’ reign and giving Spain its second world title.

In a final billed as a clash between possession-based Spanish football and Lionel Messi’s Argentina, Spain stayed true to its philosophy from the opening whistle.

Despite the chance and the presence of Messi, the Europeans controlled the match, limiting Argentina’s opportunities while repeatedly threatening at the other end.

Torres was at the center of that pressure. The Spanish striker thought he had opened the scoring at the beginning of the match, but saw his attempt disallowed. Another opportunity was also ruled out, and several near misses left him wondering if the decisive moment would ever come.

Finally he did it.

Torres finally found the breakthrough Spain had been looking for, scoring the only goal of the final to seal a famous 1-0 victory and spark celebrations among the Spanish players and fans.

Speaking after the match, the 26-year-old admitted the goal was more than just a goal to win the World Cup – it was personal.

“It’s a huge relief. I think I’ve been criticized a lot throughout the World Cup, but, as they say, destiny has already been written. Thank God, He has always given me the strength to move forward. And, as I always say, God gives things to those who deserve them most.”

The goal completed a dramatic turnaround for Torres, who had endured criticism throughout Spain’s campaign despite remaining one of the team’s hardest-working attackers. His perseverance in the final was rewarded with the biggest goal of his career.

The interviewer reminded Torres that after seeing goals disallowed and coming close repeatedly, he had finally delivered when it mattered most.

His response reflected a player who never lost faith, and he credited his faith with helping him get through difficult times before enjoying football’s greatest reward.

The winning goal immediately drew comparisons to Andrés Iniesta’s extra-time goal that clinched Spain’s first World Cup title in 2010. Concluding the interview, the host told Torres: “We had Iniesta’s goal; now we have Ferran’s goal. You will be loved forever.”

For Spain, the victory was the culmination of a campaign based on composure, possession and collective faith. Against a star-studded Argentina led by Messi, La Roja dictated the pace, created the best opportunities and finally found the decisive breakthrough through the player who had spent the tournament struggling to silence his critics.

In the end, the story of Ferran Torres became the story of the final: a forward doubted by many, trusted by his teammates and convinced that his time would come.

That’s how it was, and with it came a simple message that summarized Spain’s victory in the World Cup:

“God gives things to those who deserve them most.”