Spain Beat 10-Man Argentina to Win World Cup

What the report says

Nile Post, carrying an Associated Press report, said Spain won the men’s World Cup final on Sunday, defeating defending champion Argentina 1-0 after extra time. Ferran Torres, introduced as a second-half substitute, scored in the 106th minute with a left-footed finish under the bar after Argentina had been reduced to 10 players. The victory gave Spain its second men’s World Cup title, following its 2010 triumph.

According to the report, Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez was sent off in stoppage time after receiving a second yellow card for a challenge on Spain defender Pau Cubarsi. The match became heated late and after the final whistle, with the article describing pushing and shoving involving Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni and players from both teams. Spain then held on through a late Argentine push, including a missed chance by substitute Giuliano Simeone from a Lionel Messi corner.

The report framed the result as another milestone for Spain’s defense and control of matches. Spain was said to have conceded only one goal across eight games, a record low for a World Cup champion, and to have extended an unbeaten run to 38 matches. Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was credited with 12 saves, described as a World Cup final record, as Spain dominated the shot and corner counts.

The article also noted the wider significance: Spain became the first country to hold the men’s and women’s World Cup titles at the same time, after its women’s team won in 2023. For Argentina, the defeat ended hopes of back-to-back titles and may have marked Messi’s final World Cup appearance.