Spain have been crowned World Cup champions after defeating Argentina 1-0 in extra time at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, ending Lionel Messi's dream of a second world title. Substitute Ferran Torres broke the deadlock in the 106th minute, delivering Spain their second World Cup trophy and denying Argentina the chance to become the first back-to-back champions since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.

Spain were dominant throughout, controlling possession with the kind of purposeful, high-pressing football that has long defined their footballing identity. Midfielders Rodri, Pedri, and Fabián Ruiz gave Spain technical and positional superiority, constantly shifting Argentina's defensive shape and cutting off their opponents' preferred counter-attacking routes. Argentina's ten-man challenge became even more daunting when midfielder Enzo Fernández was sent off after receiving a second yellow card in stoppage time. Even before the dismissal, Messi — playing in a record third World Cup final and what is widely expected to be his farewell tournament — touched the ball only 54 times and was repeatedly isolated by a well-organised Spanish defence.

For Messi, 39, the evening carried enormous personal weight. He had scored eight goals and provided four assists across the tournament, including a crucial contribution in a dramatic semi-final comeback against England, and arrived at the final having played a record 34 World Cup matches across six tournaments. He becomes only the second player in history to appear in three World Cup finals, matching Brazilian great Cafu. But the magic that carried him and Argentina to glory in Qatar in 2022 — when he finally emulated Diego Maradona's 1986 triumph and ended years of international heartbreak — never materialised at the same stadium where, a decade earlier, he had announced his retirement from international football, only to return and lead Argentina to unprecedented success.

Argentine coach Lionel Scaloni, in tears at his post-match press conference, acknowledged Spain's superiority while expressing deep uncertainty about his own future. His contract expires in December, and he admitted that rebuilding a comparable squad would be enormously difficult.