EAST RUTHERFORD — Spain won the world title for the second time in history on Sunday evening. In a thrilling World Cup final, the Spaniards defeated defending champion Argentina 1-0 after extra time. Substitute Ferran Torres became the big hero by scoring the only goal of the match in the 106th minute.
The final in the New York New Jersey Stadium developed into a tactical joust in which Spain took the initiative and had most of the ball possession. National coach Luis de la Fuente’s team created the best chances, but repeatedly ran into goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, who kept Argentina in the match for a long time.
“The Argentinians hardly came close to the Spanish target area”
Argentina, with Lionel Messi in probably its last World Cup final, hardly made any dangerous attacks. In the 90 minutes of regular playing time, Argentina had not fired a single shot on target. The Argentinians hardly came close to the Spanish target area. The South Americans also suffered a serious setback in the final phase of regular playing time. Midfielder Enzo Fernández received his second yellow card and had to leave the field, forcing Argentina to complete extra time with ten men.
The numerical majority ultimately worked out well for Spain. In the 106th minute, the ball ended up at the feet of substitute Torres, who hit under the crossbar with a powerful left swipe. The Argentinians tried to force a final offensive in the remaining minutes, but the Spanish defense did not budge.
With the victory, Spain writes history again. The European team conquers its second world title, after the final victory in 2010, and also becomes the first country to be the reigning world champion for both men and women at the same time.
For Argentina the tournament ends in disappointment. The reigning world champion failed to prolong the title, despite an impressive route to the final. For Lionel Messi, the defeat may mean the end of an exceptional World Cup career, although the captain has not yet spoken about his international future.
