# Spain Crowned 2026 World Cup Champions After Extra-Time Thriller Against Argentina Spain are world champions once again. In a tense, tightly fought final at New York/New Jersey Stadium, Luis de la Fuente's side edged Lionel Messi's Argentina 1-0 in extra time to lift their second World Cup trophy, 16 years after their first triumph in 2010. ## A Final Decided in the Dying Moments For long stretches, it looked like Argentina's wall would hold. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez produced one of the great individual performances in World Cup final history, making save after save to deny a Spanish side that dominated possession and territory for almost the entire match. Spain finished with a commanding edge in shots and expected goals, but Martínez kept his team alive deep into extra time. The game swung in the second half of extra time. Argentina's Enzo Fernández was shown a second yellow card and sent off, leaving his side to play out the remaining minutes a man down. Spain had already seen one goal chalked off for a foul in the buildup, but they weren't to be denied for long. Just over half a minute into the resumption of extra time, Nico Williams squared the ball to Ferran Torres, who fired it into the roof of the net to send the Spanish bench into delirium. ## The End of an Era for Messi For Argentina, and for Lionel Messi in particular, it was a heartbreaking way for the tournament to end. Messi, playing what appears to be his final World Cup, came desperately close to a fairytale second consecutive title but will instead watch Spain celebrate. Even in defeat, few would argue Spain weren't the more deserving side across the 120 minutes. ## A Complete Tournament Run What makes Spain's triumph particularly remarkable is how their campaign started. La Roja opened the tournament with a draw against World Cup debutants Cape Verde, hardly the ideal beginning for a team that would go on to lift the trophy. From there, though, Spain steadily grew into the tournament, playing with control, patience, and a defense that conceded barely at all across the knockout rounds. This title adds to Spain's European Championship win, cementing the current generation, built around young stars like Lamine Yamal alongside more experienced heads, as one of the most dominant sides in the world game. ## What's Next Argentina will now turn their attention to rebuilding without Messi, who has strongly hinted this was his World Cup swan song. Spain, meanwhile, will look to become just the second nation since Brazil in 1958 and 1962 to win back-to-back World Cups when the tournament returns in 2030. For now, though, the celebrations in Spain will run long into the night. A second star has been earned, and this golden generation has cemented its place in football history. --- *What did you think of the final? Let us know in the comments below.*