EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The brilliance you see from Spain on a soccer field is as subtle as the best of Billie Eilish. They’re not doing power chords or guitar jams or belting out a high note at full volume for 18 seconds. There are flourishes — a burst from Lamine Yamal or a twist from Danny Olmo — but this version of the planet’s greatest national team is quiet, precise, mesmerizing and rewarded for these qualities with universal respect from their peers. If there is any such thing.
It took 120 minutes and the ejection of a key Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez for Spain to add a second star above its crest with a 1-0 victory in the World Cup 2026 final at New Jersey’s Meadowlands.
They are the only team ever to hold a European Championship and World Cup title at once. They are the first nation ever to hold the men’s and women’s World Cups concurrently. They are the first team ever to post seven shutouts in this tournament. Most of the credit for this was presented to goalkeeper Unai Simon, presented the Golden Glove trophy even though he faced just 10 shots on goal in the tournament and none at all from Argentina in regulation plus extra time.
Even playing more than a quarter of the game with a man advantage, Spain did not demolish Argentina.
Indeed, the Argentines looked broken after Ferran Torres’ strike found the back of the net just a minute into the second extra period. He got the goal and the player of the match trophy and the opportunity to hang with Shakira for just a couple minutes, but it was Nico Williams’ perfectly headed pass off an ideal cross from defender Pedro Porro that made the play.
There is no statistic that matters in soccer, whether basic or advanced, that does not indicate Spain overwhelmed Argentina. Expected goals: Spain 1.94, Argentina .17. Total shots: Spain 20, Argentina 2. Touches in the box: Spain 31, Argentina 8. Completed passes: Spain 762, Argentina 358.
And yet to say Spain were more dangerous than Argentina through the long period of the game when it was a fair fight numerically is to say someone out there was dangerous. Which feels like an overstatement.
Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez delivered an outstanding performance, keeping his team in the game on two or three occasions with exceptional saves, but most of his game was spent arranging himself in ideal position and merely catching the shots kicked or headed directly toward him.
Spain’s pressing defense and extraordinary ability to control possession were the most impactful elements of their successful run to the title. Opponents cannot score if they don’t get shots, and they cannot get shots without access to the ball. Even the GOAT Lionel Messi cannot conjure a scoring opportunity from thin air. He’s got to have a touch.
This is such a different team than the 2010 squad that dazzled with controlled passes, moving quickly and regularly threatening. They, too, won their title by a 1-0 score in extra time, but Xavi and Andres Iniesta and David Villa were world superstars, and even defenders Gerard Pique and Carlos Puyol were established stars.
It’s also a different team, though, from the one that triumphed at the Euros two summers back. In that one, teenager Lamine Yamal and Williams dominated on the wings and the opposition constantly was vexed trying to cope with them. For the last month, Yamal has been just healthy enough to deliver a few moments of peril to the opposition and Williams just healthy enough to come on for 30 minutes or less (usually way less) to help push Spain to the final whistle.
Brian Snyder-Reuters via Imagn Images
It has been a huge week for powerful shots from Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez. He tied his team’s semifinal game late with a beautiful strike off a Messi pass from the top of the box. This time, he cleaned out young Pau Cubarsi near midfield just a minute before the end of regulation and drew a second yellow card that led to automatic disqualification. His teammates would have to play a full half-hour without him, and it seemed inevitable that would lead to a Spain victory.
It took longer than one might have expected.
But only if one doesn’t know how Spain operates.
There is no rush. The trophy will be there at the end, which team captain Rodri lifted beneath a confetti shower. That’s how it goes for Spain in this era. That’s how it went Sunday, even though Messi was on the other side and the crowd of 80,663 was mostly Argentine. Whomever is the opponent doesn’t have a chance if they get no chances.
