Spain’s Torres scored in extra time to bring his country its 2nd World Cup title – National

Ferran Torres’ first goal in this year’s World Cup was the goal of his life, and it brought Spain back to the top of world football.

Denying Lionel Messi a second straight title in what he indicated would be his final World Cup game, Torres came off the bench and scored in the 106th minute and Spain – in a match he dominated – ended Argentina’s reign with a 1-0 win on Sunday.

Torres grabbed the rebound in the box and used his left foot to bury the shot just under the crossbar and into the net.

“It was a goal scored by 47 million people,” Torres said, referring to Spain’s population.

Maybe not by them – but definitely for them.

It was Spain’s second title, this trophy added to the title won in 2010. And there is no doubt about the center of the football world at the moment, not after this performance.

Spain conceded just one goal in eight games at the tournament, setting a World Cup record for the fewest goals conceded by a champion. And that title, coupled with the women’s World Cup won by Spain in 2023, makes it the first European country to hold the men’s and women’s titles simultaneously.

“I feel sad,” said Messi, who shed tears after receiving his runners-up medal and looked at the Argentina fans. “Honestly, they are better.”

This score indicates that this match was tight, but only one team was in the lead.

Spain had their first 20 shots on goal of the match before Argentina – desperate for an equalizer – had their first attempt in the second half of extra time. Spain took nine of the first 10 corners of the match, and only Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez’s World Cup final record 12 saves gave the 2022 champions a chance to counterattack.

Spain is now unbeaten in its last 38 matches — 29 wins, nine draws — and now holds the longest streak ever by any European team. Italy played 37 matches (28 wins, nine draws) from October 2018 to September 2021, before Spain ended that streak.

And for more than the last two years, no one has been able to beat Spain. Not even Messi. The Argentinian team, who are the kings of late rallies in this tournament, had no answer this time.

Messi took a corner with about four minutes remaining before the final whistle and the ball was passed by substitute Giuliano Simeone – who sent it high and over the crossbar, clutching his head in disbelief afterwards.

“When you have Messi on the other side, you feel nervous,” said Torres. “In the end, we always depend on ourselves. We always show our football, and we showed it again.”

The win makes Spain coach Luis de la Fuente, at 65, the oldest coach ever to lead a team to a World Cup title.

“We are world champions,” said de la Fuente. “Together we reached this stage.”

There was some pushing and shoving after the final whistle, which was quickly cleared and Spain began celebrating as most of Argentina’s players sat on the pitch in disbelief. Cooler minds prevailed, and Spain’s players lined up minutes later to form a sort of honor guard for the Argentina squad to pass through on their way to the stage for runners-up medals.

Enzo Fernandez was sent off in second-half stoppage time after picking up his second yellow card, meaning Argentina were forced to finish the match with just 10 men. Fernandez was booked for reckless play that sent Spanish defender Pau Cubarsi flying into the air, and the card came straight out.

It was the 104th and final match of the biggest World Cup ever, a 48-team event played in the US, Canada and Mexico. Since the number of matches was greater than in previous World Cups, it is not surprising that the number of goals scored was higher than in other editions — more than 300, almost three goals per match.

Except, of course, when Spain is involved. Spain’s plan was simple and impeccable: Hold the ball as much as possible, avoiding the opponent’s chances.

It worked, right up to the end.

“There is sadness, but also the knowledge that we gave everything,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said. “I could say a lot about how we got here, but it wouldn’t be worth it. I’m forever grateful to these guys; they competed until the end. Other teams were better.”

Spain came into this tournament considered one of the favorites, and with full confidence they could end Argentina’s reign.

It will have to go through the greatest players – perhaps ever – to fulfill that promise.

Messi is 39 years old and the calculations clearly show that the Inter Miami star is at the end of his international career. There have been hints – such as Messi himself stating that the home World Cup qualifier against Venezuela last year would be his last competitive match for Argentina in his country.

“I experienced many things on this pitch, good and not so good,” Messi said that night. “I will bring the best.”

In the Messi era, many good things happened. Actually very good.

There is the 2022 World Cup title which clearly tops the list. There was an Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Two Copa América titles, the first in 2021 and the second in 2024. He won Argentina’s Player of the Year award 16 times in a span of 19 years, first winning it as a teenager and continuing to win it into his late 30s.

He is a legend in this sport and throughout the world. But Spain were better on Sunday.

“I talked to my players, and they said: ‘Look, we’ve won everything, coach. We’ve won everything,'” de la Fuente said. “And it’s beautiful.”

The spectacle is not limited to football alone. There was a half-time show, a first for FIFA. There were tons of celebrities there from stage, screen and sports: Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Matt Damon, Cillian Murphy, Daniel Craig, Stephen Curry, Victor Wembanyama, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Brunson, Kevin Durant, Serena Williams, Carlos Alcaraz, David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane and many more.

They came to see the show. So did 80,000 other people, not to mention the roughly 2 billion people watching around the world.

Spain did not disappoint. No team had won back-to-back men’s World Cups since Brazil in 1958 and 1962, and Spain prevented Argentina from repeating the feat.

“We are magnanimous in victory,” Scaloni said, “and we must be magnanimous in defeat.”