Sunday, July 19, 2026 | 3:10 p.m.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Spain substitute Ferran Torres scored successful the 106th infinitesimal to springiness his squad a 1-0 triumph implicit defending champion Argentina successful the World Cup final on Sunday.
Spain was perfectly ascendant successful presumption of possession and changeable attempts. Lionel Messi and Argentina found a mode to bent connected and unit other clip — but barely.
And successful the opening infinitesimal of the 2nd 15-minute play of other time, Torres pounced connected a bouncing shot successful the container and utilized his near ft to hide a changeable conscionable nether the crossbar and into the backmost of the net.
Enzo Fernandez was sent disconnected successful second-half stoppage clip aft getting his 2nd yellowish card, meaning Argentina was forced to decorativeness the lucifer with lone 10 players. Fernandez was carded for a reckless play that sent Spain defender Pau Cubarsi cartwheeling into the air, and the paper came retired immediately.
Another foul astir 2 minutes aft play resumed gave Lamine Yamal a accidental to triumph it from astir 22 yards retired connected a escaped kick. Yamal’s onslaught was curling toward the close post, and Martinez dived to sound it distant for his 10th prevention of the day — the astir ever successful a World Cup final.
He leaped to his feet, punching the aerial and imploring the assemblage to get loud. Not agelong aft that came the whistle, sending the crippled to other time.
Spain took 15 shots successful regulation, Argentina none. Spain took 9 corners, Argentina one. And somehow, 90-plus minutes of that benignant of dominance wasn't enough.
With its victory, Spain became the archetypal federation to simultaneously clasp the World Cup crowns successful some men's and women's soccer.
It was the 104th and past lucifer of the biggest World Cup ever, a 48-team lawsuit that played retired implicit the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Because determination were much matches than immoderate erstwhile World Cup, it was nary astonishment that determination were much goals than each different editions — 308.
The spectacle was not constricted to simply soccer.
Celebrities — from each walks of beingness — were there. Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Matt Damon, Will Ferrell, Cillian Murphy, Daniel Craig, Jennifer Connelly, Jennifer Hudson, Jon Hamm, Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker were among the actors astatine the game.
The NBA had capable endowment determination for a afloat All-Star Game, with the database of players attending including Stephen Curry, Victor Wembanyama, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Bronny James, Cade Cunningham, Cooper Flagg, Devin Booker, Donovan Mitchell, Draymond Green, Jalen Brunson, Jalen Williams, James Harden, Jaylen Brown, Karl-Anthony Towns, Kevin Durant and Tyrese Haliburton.
Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz were among the tennis royalty watching, the NFL had names similar Eli Manning, Patrick Mahomes, Odell Beckham Jr. and Saquon Barkley successful attendance, 2 of the top U.S. skiers ever successful Mikaela Shiffrin and Lindsey Vonn were astatine the lucifer — and, of course, determination were shot royalty with the likes of Kaka, David Beckham, Didier Drogba and Zinedine Zidane.
Post Malone headlined the closing ceremony, which started astir 90 minutes earlier the last was acceptable to statesman and conscionable a fewer minutes aft Messi and Argentina arrived astatine the stadium. The halftime amusement — a archetypal for FIFA and portion of a 27-minute interruption — featured Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira and BTS, on with Burna Boy, Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel, the PS 22 Chorus with Coldplay, and adjacent characters from Sesame Street and the Muppets.
President Donald Trump was contiguous arsenic well, with plans calling for him to beryllium portion of the trophy presumption astatine the decision of the match.
“I won't prime sides,” Trump told Fox Sports successful an interrogation released Sunday day earlier the final. “I conscionable deliberation it's precise hard to stake against Messi. He's great.”
English (US)·