Spain lifted the FIFA World Cup trophy for the second time after defeating defending champions Argentina 1-0 in extra time in a tense and hard-fought final. Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the 106th minute to hand Spain a deserved victory after Argentina played the closing stages with 10 men following Enzo Fernandez's red card.

The win also created history as Spain became the first country to hold both the men's and women's FIFA World Cup titles at the same time.

Ferran Torres Delivers the Winning Goal

The World Cup final remained goalless throughout normal time despite Spain creating the better chances.

The breakthrough finally arrived during extra time. Substitute Nico Williams headed the ball into the path of Ferran Torres, who reacted quickly and fired a powerful close-range shot past Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez in the 106th minute.

Torres' goal proved to be the difference as Spain secured football's biggest prize once again.

Final Fails to Match Expectations

The final was expected to be a classic showdown between two of world football's biggest teams, but instead turned into a physical and stop-start contest filled with fouls and interruptions.

Argentina relied heavily on defensive tactics to frustrate Spain rather than playing their usual attacking football. The constant stoppages prevented either side from building any real rhythm during the match.

Away from the football, however, the event delivered plenty of entertainment. US President Donald Trump arrived in New Jersey by helicopter before kick-off, while Shakira, Madonna and Justin Bieber performed during the first-ever FIFA World Cup half-time show, extending the break to 27 minutes.

Spain Create the Better Chances

Although the match lacked quality for long periods, Spain looked the more dangerous team throughout. Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal both forced important saves from Emiliano Martinez during the first half.

Spain also grew frustrated with referee Slavko Vincic's decisions, believing Argentina escaped several bookings. Alexis Mac Allister avoided an early yellow card after a late challenge on Dani Olmo before Lisandro Martinez finally received the first booking of the match in the 40th minute for bringing down Oyarzabal.

Shortly afterwards, Lisandro Martinez had to leave the field because of injury.

Enzo Fernandez Sent Off Before Extra Time

Tensions continued to rise as the match entered stoppage time. Already carrying a yellow card, Enzo Fernandez made another reckless challenge on Spain defender Pau Cubarsi. The referee showed him a second yellow card, reducing Argentina to 10 players just before extra time began.

The dismissal handed Spain a numerical advantage for the remainder of the contest.

Emiliano Martinez Keeps Argentina Alive

Despite Argentina's struggles, goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez delivered another outstanding performance. He made a brilliant save from Lamine Yamal's free-kick in the closing moments of normal time to keep the score level.

During extra time, Martinez produced another excellent stop to deny Nico Williams' header. Williams later thought he had scored himself, but the goal was ruled out after substitute Mikel Merino was judged to have fouled Nicolas Otamendi during the build-up. However, Martinez could do nothing moments later when Torres struck the winning goal.

Spain Complete Historic Triumph

Argentina had already shown great fighting spirit by coming from behind to eliminate Egypt and England in the knockout rounds. This time, however, they were unable to produce another comeback.

Spain controlled the closing stages comfortably and sealed a historic victory to become world champions for the second time. Their triumph also made history as Spain became the first nation to simultaneously hold both the men's and women's World Cup titles.

Spain's Growth Throughout the Tournament

Spain's road to the title was far from straightforward. Their campaign began with a goalless draw against Cape Verde, but the team improved steadily with every match.

They produced one of their best performances by defeating tournament favourites France in the semi-finals before overcoming Argentina in the final. Head coach Luis de la Fuente once again guided Spain to major international success after leading them to the UEFA Euro 2024 title. His calm leadership helped the players remain composed despite Argentina's physical approach.

Spain rarely looked troubled defensively after Fernandez's red card, while the introduction of Nico Williams added much-needed attacking energy that ultimately helped create the winning goal.

Although the final lacked excitement, Spain were widely regarded as deserving champions after consistently playing positive football throughout the tournament.

Lionel Messi's World Cup Journey Ends in Disappointment

If this proves to be Lionel Messi's final World Cup appearance, it ended on a painful note as Argentina surrendered their world title. The 39-year-old captain had enjoyed another outstanding tournament, scoring eight goals and inspiring Argentina throughout the competition. He also played a decisive role in the semi-final victory over England by creating both goals in their 2-1 win. However, Spain successfully contained the Argentine legend in the final.

Messi managed only one shot throughout the match, and it failed to test the goalkeeper. Spain's disciplined defence kept him away from dangerous positions and limited his influence.

Argentina's cautious tactical approach also made life difficult for their captain, as the team focused more on disrupting Spain's rhythm than showcasing their own attacking quality.

Although Argentina produced several memorable performances during their title defence, they could have few complaints about Spain's deserved victory in the World Cup final.