Kings of Europe conquer the world: Spain dethrone Messi's Argentina to win FIFA World Cup

Spain ended a 16-year wait to reclaim football's biggest prize, beating defending champions Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday as Ferran Torres' 106th-minute strike sealed La Roja's second world title and brought Lionel Messi's reign to an end.

The triumph, Spain's first since Andrés Iniesta's iconic winner against the Netherlands in Johannesburg in 2010, also made them the first nation to simultaneously hold the men's and women's FIFA World Cup titles.

Ferran Torres emerged as Spain's unlikely hero, firing home in the 106th minute after Nico Williams headed Pedro Porro's cross into his path, finally breaking Argentina's resistance after more than 100 minutes of relentless Spanish pressure.

The victory capped a remarkable era for Luis de la Fuente's side, who added the World Cup to their European Championship triumph and became the first nation to simultaneously hold both the men's and women's FIFA World Cup titles. Spain's women lifted their maiden World Cup in Australia in 2023, while the men's team reclaimed football's biggest prize for the first time since Andrés Iniesta's iconic winner secured the title in South Africa in 2010.

Spain dominate, Martínez keeps Argentina alive

The scoreline scarcely reflected Spain's dominance.

For almost the entire night at the New York New Jersey Stadium, it felt less like a World Cup final and more like an attack-versus-defence training session. Spain monopolised possession, controlled midfield through Rodri and Fabián Ruiz and repeatedly carved open Argentina's defence, only to be denied time and again by goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez.

Spain finished with 20 attempts, 12 of them on target, while Argentina failed to register a single shot until deep into extra time. Martínez's string of saves prolonged Argentina's hopes, frustrating Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams and Torres as Spain searched desperately for the breakthrough.

Spain even thought they had found it earlier when a goal was ruled out after VAR adjudged Mikel Merino to have fouled Nicolás Otamendi in the build-up. Torres later had another effort chalked off for offside before finally finding the decisive touch.

Red card shifts momentum

Argentina's hopes suffered a major blow at the end of regulation time when midfielder Enzo Fernández received a second yellow card, forcing Lionel Scaloni's side to play the entirety of extra time with 10 men. Spain piled on the pressure and eventually found the breakthrough six minutes into the additional period.

Torres' finish also earned him a place in football folklore, joining an exclusive list of players whose goals have decided a FIFA World Cup final — alongside names such as Andrés Iniesta and Mario Götze.

Messi denied fairytale finish

The final had been billed as another defining chapter in Lionel Messi's glittering career and a symbolic showdown with Spain's teenage sensation Lamine Yamal.

Instead, Spain suffocated Argentina's attack.

Messi was largely restricted to moments of brilliance rather than sustained influence as Spain's relentless press denied the holders space to build attacks. Argentina's first attempt at goal arrived only in the dying minutes of extra time, when Messi's fierce strike from distance crashed into Mikel Merino. Moments later, Giuliano Simeone squandered Argentina's best chance of the match, shooting over from close range after Pau Cubarsí had brilliantly diverted another dangerous cross away from goal.

As the final whistle sounded, Spain's players streamed onto the pitch in celebration while frustration boiled over among the Argentines, with tempers flaring in the closing moments following the end of their World Cup reign.

A new benchmark in world football

Spain's triumph completed an unbeaten march through the tournament that included victories over Austria, Portugal, Belgium, France and finally Argentina. It also crowned a campaign in which they extended their unbeaten run to 38 matches and reaffirmed their status as the world's premier international side.

For Argentina, it marked the end of their title defence and perhaps the closing chapter of Messi's extraordinary World Cup journey.

For Spain, however, it was something much bigger. Having conquered Europe, La Roja now rule the world once agai