Pain celebrated a glorious achievement as they secured their second World Cup title with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Argentina, thanks to Ferran Torres’ crucial second-half goal. The win highlighted Spain’s astonishing 38-match unbeaten run, surpassing Italy’s long-standing record. (Image/ANI)
They came to New Jersey as history makers. They left as world champions.Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in a thrilling and tense World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on Sunday night, with Ferran Torres’ second-half goal separating the two teams and giving Spain their second World Cup title, 16 years after their first win in South Africa in 2010.But the trophy wasn’t the only piece of history made Sunday night. By winning the final, Spain extended their unbeaten run to 38 consecutive matches in all competitions, surpassing the Italian record of 37 matches and becoming the team with the longest unbeaten streak in the history of international football in Europe and South America. No team from either continent has gone longer without defeat.
Torres, who had endured a difficult tournament by his high standards before this final, scored the most important goal of his career.
After receiving a perfect pass from Pedri on the edge of Argentina’s penalty area in the 67th minute, the Manchester City striker controlled the ball and fired a perfect low shot past Emiliano Martinez and into the bottom corner. MetLife Stadium, filled with red and yellow, erupted.Argentina paid. Lionel Messi, playing the final game of his international career, was frequently charging forward, creating moments and demanding the ball as he always does.
But Spain’s defence, which had kept six clean sheets in its previous matches, the best defensive record in World Cup history, was not about to collapse on the biggest night of all. Unai Simon made two crucial saves in the final 10 minutes to keep a clean sheet and send the trophy to Spain.For Messi, this is a painful end to a career of exceptional beauty. He finished the 2026 World Cup with eight goals and four assists, one of the greatest individual tournament statistics in World Cup history.
But the second title in a row for Argentina was not to be.For Spain, unbeaten in 38 matches, European champions in 2024 and now world champions in 2026, the record books belong entirely to them.Italy’s record stood for five years. Spain smashed the score on the biggest stage ever with the World Cup in their hands.