Spain has won the World Cup for the second time, defeating Argentina 1-0 in extra time thanks to a goal from Ferran Torres. The decisive moment came in the 106th minute when Pedro Porro delivered a cross that Nico Williams headed back to Torres, who scored from close range.
For Argentina, the loss was marked by an extraordinary performance from goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez. He made a World Cup final-record 10 saves in regulation and finished with 11 saves overall, thwarting Spain's relentless attack wave after wave. Despite his heroics, Martínez could not prevent Spain from claiming their first World Cup title since 2010.
Spain dominated possession and registered 20 shots throughout the match, but Martínez consistently denied their attempts. Argentina, meanwhile, managed only two shots, the first coming from Lionel Messi in the 117th minute.
Martínez revealed after the match that he played the entire tournament with a fractured ring finger on his right hand, an injury sustained before Aston Villa's Europa League match in May. He opted against surgery to compete, enduring pain throughout the competition. "My hand still hurts," Martínez admitted. "I knew my hand was going to be hurting. I tried to avoid going through surgery."
Ironically, Spain's goalkeeper Unai Simón was awarded the Golden Glove for the tournament's best goalkeeper without making a save. His clean sheet marked a record seventh in World Cup play, a testament to Spain's strong defense and midfield.
The final concluded with Spain lifting the trophy, a moment that will be remembered alongside Lionel Messi's appearance in the final, but also for Martínez's remarkable resilience and goalkeeping display.