Spain beat Argentina to win the FIFA World Cup

Spain dethroned defending champions Argentina to lift the FIFA World Cup trophy, ending a 16-year wait for world glory. In a final dominated from start to finish by La Roja, Argentina looked unrecognizable, failing to mount a meaningful attack throughout the match.

The two football giants met in the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium on Sunday night, where Spain secured a historic 1-0 victory after extra time to claim their second World Cup title.

Argentina struggled throughout the contest and failed to register a single meaningful attacking move during the regulation 90 minutes. Even in extra time, the Albiceleste managed only two attacks but failed to put a single shot on target.

As a result, Lionel Messi's dream of defending the title came to an end, while Luis de la Fuente's Spain celebrated a memorable triumph after a tense and dramatic final.

After dominating for the entire 120 minutes, Spain finally got the reward their performance deserved. Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the 106th minute, finishing brilliantly from a Nico Williams assist.

Spain attempted 20 shots during the match, with 12 on target, but were repeatedly denied by Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez.

From the opening whistle, Spain played with relentless intensity. In the fourth minute, Lamine Yamal's powerful effort was brilliantly saved by Martínez, whose outstanding performance kept Argentina in the game and forced the match into extra time.

Martínez made 11 saves throughout the match, setting a new record for the most saves by a goalkeeper in a FIFA World Cup final. Without his heroics, Spain could have comfortably won within normal time.

Spain controlled possession and created chances throughout the first half, while Argentina offered virtually nothing going forward. Remarkably, Lionel Scaloni's side failed to register a single shot and did not even touch the ball inside Spain's penalty area during the opening 45 minutes.

After the break, Spain increased the pressure even further. Head coach Luis de la Fuente introduced Mikel Merino for Dani Olmo and Nico Williams for Álex Baena to add more attacking threat.

In the 68th minute, Ferran Torres met a precise cross from Yamal with a powerful header, but Martínez produced another spectacular save. Spain continued to dominate possession, leaving Argentina pinned back in their own half.

Pedri also tested Martínez with a long-range effort, while Pau Cubarsí's shot almost slipped through the goalkeeper's grasp before fortune came to Argentina's rescue.

Spain continued to threaten. In the 80th minute, Aymeric Laporte headed wide from a corner despite finding a promising position. Two minutes later, Enzo Fernández received a yellow card for a foul.

Moments later, Torres latched onto a through ball from Mikel Merino and fired into the side netting as Spain continued searching for the breakthrough.

Argentina suffered a major setback in the second minute of stoppage time when Enzo Fernández was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for fouling Pau Cubarsí while attempting to win possession. He became only the sixth player to be shown a red card in a World Cup final.

Reduced to 10 men, Argentina survived another scare in the eighth minute of added time when Martínez produced yet another excellent save to deny Lamine Yamal's dangerous free-kick.

Meanwhile, Argentina still failed to produce a single shot on target, forcing the match into extra time.

Spain maintained complete control during the first period of extra time, pinning Argentina deep inside their own half. They thought they had taken the lead in the 95th minute, but the goal was ruled out after Nicolás Otamendi had been fouled inside the penalty area during the buildup.

The breakthrough finally arrived shortly after the restart in extra time. Ferran Torres found the net in the 106th minute to give Spain the lead they had long deserved.

Torres scored again in the 113th minute, but the goal was disallowed for offside. Argentina attempted to mount a late comeback but still failed to test the Spanish goalkeeper with a shot on target.

Spain comfortably held onto their advantage to secure a historic victory and lift the FIFA World Cup for the second time, their first title since 2010.

For Argentina, the defeat meant missing out on a fourth World Cup crown, while Lionel Messi's hopes of winning back-to-back World Cup titles came to an end.