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Describing a result as a ‘victory for football’ might seem like a trite cliche – but you won’t find many neutrals disagreeing with that description of Spain’s win in the 2026 World Cup final.
When Ferran Torres slammed in the extra-time winner, and Rodri lifted the trophy high in New Jersey, it is hard to imagine many will have had sympathy for Argentina.
Spain triumphed in a battle of endurance, for players and spectators, to beat the Argentines and win their second men’s World Cup.
On every football metric – and, some would say, morality too – this was the right result.
“There is no doubt that the right team won,” former England captain Alan Shearer said on BBC One. “From start to finish, Spain controlled possession. They were the ones looking to play football, create chances and get in behind.
“This is a result for football because of the way that they have played. Spain deserve it.”
Spain had 65% possession, an expected goals tally of 1.94 and 20 shots on goal – 11 on target.
At the other end, goalkeeper Unai Simon kept his seventh clean sheet in eight matches as he won the Golden Glove for the tournament’s best goalkeeper.
Spain conceded just one goal at the 2026 World Cup – the fewest conceded by any winning team.
Spain pass Argentina in every metric
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Spain are – even in the hard-to-quantify world of international football – clearly the preeminent side in the world.
They are world, Olympic and European champions – not to mention women’s world champions too. The men are now unbeaten in their past 38 matches in all competitions – the longest run by any European team in history.
They stumbled out of the gates in this World Cup with a 0-0 draw against Cape Verde – meaning that on both occasions Spain have won the world title they have failed to win their opener, after a 1-0 loss to Switzerland in 2010.
There have only been three instances on record of a player completing 100 or more passes in a World Cup final. Two of those were Spain players on Sunday – Rodri with 101, and Pau Cubarsi with 121.
And for many of the squad, this might just be the start.
Cubarsi, 19, was named young player of the tournament, while it seems very likely his Barcelona team-mate Lamine Yamal has his best years ahead.
At 19 years and six days, Lamine Yamal became the third-youngest player to play in a World Cup final, after Pele in 1958 and Giuseppe Bergomi in 1982. He is now the third-youngest winner.
Image source, Getty ImagesArgentina fail to spoil Spain’s party
Argentina are so often painted as the pantomime villains of international football – particularly by England fans.
As they did in the semi-final against the Three Lions, they appeared in the first half to be more interested in stopping any semblance of football occurring than playing the game themselves.
Leandro Paredes was the spoiler in chief, with Enzo Fernandez his deputy.
Though four Argentina players were booked, many will feel that adds further to the theory they have had lenient treatment from officials at this tournament.
Argentina made a total of 464 passes, compared to Spain’s 852.
But, unlike England, Spain did not wilt in the second half. Had they won this game long before Torres’ 106th-minute strike there could have been few complaints.
Argentina’s Emiliano Martinez had to make 11 saves – the most by any goalkeeper on record in a World Cup final.
At the other end, meanwhile, the defending champions became the first team in World Cup history not to have a shot in 90 minutes of a final. Their first attempt came via Lionel Messi in the 117th minute.
Argentina lost their crown, and the scenes that followed the final whistle led many to feel they had lost their dignity too.
‘Disgusting behaviour’
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Fernandez was first shown a yellow card for dissent, then a second for a spectacularly late challenge that sent Cubarsi somersaulting.
After the full-time whistle, Paredes was involved in scraps with Rodri, Gavi and Borja Iglesias and team mate Nahuel Molina was seen throwing a punch at a passing Spain player too.
“Embarrassing, seeing that sort of stuff after the game has been played,” said BBC pundit Wayne Rooney. “Someone has been crowned World Cup champions. It is not good enough.
“Paredes is better than that. It doesn’t stop there. He keeps going and going.”
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni attempted to defend his side’s performance through floods of tears at his post-match media conference, but could only admit the best team had won.
“Even though they were out-playing us until the 85th minute, I would love to know what would have happened had we still had 11 men on the pitch,” he said of Fernandez’s dismissal.
“We managed to go all the way to the end when the match was so open and it just couldn’t be. They deserved the victory, that is the reality.”
Argentina might have taken the World Cup final to extra time – the fifth of the past six to go that far – but that could not mask their inferiority.
“Argentina can have absolutely no complaints about what happened,” former England goalkeeper Joe Hart told BBC One. “Disgusting behaviour.
“I don’t think Rodri needed to get in their faces but you understand that after 120 minutes where you have been wound up and you thought you’ve been wronged, and the referee has been on your back.”
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