Spain Beat Argentina in Extra Time to Win 2026 World Cup

Spain are world champions once again. Sunday's final in New Jersey ended 1-0 in Spain's favor after a tense 90 minutes could not separate the two sides, sending the match into extra time before La Roja found the breakthrough.

The victory is Spain's second World Cup title and comes just a few years after their women's team lifted the trophy, making them the first nation to hold both the men's and women's World Cup crowns at the same time.

For Argentina, the defeat brings a bittersweet end to a run that included a dramatic quarter-final comeback against Egypt and a hard-fought semi-final win over England. Manager Lionel Scaloni was visibly emotional discussing his future after the match, while captain Lionel Messi's night ended in tears as he fell just short of a second consecutive title.

Nineteen-year-old Lamine Yamal was among Spain's standout performers on the biggest stage of all, capping a tournament that also saw record crowds across the three host nations: the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Attention now turns to the individual honors and the long list of storylines this tournament produced, from stunning upsets to unforgettable moments both on and off the pitch.