World Cup 2026: latest news and reaction after Spain beat Argentina to win trophy – live | 2026 World Cup
Important events
And the same in the pictures…
Let’s start by recalling the great MBM report by Rob Smyth…
Thanks Jo again, one last time – sniff, sniff – one and all greetings. “Dizguzting” – my emphasis – is exactly the word I used to describe this abomination to my wife, especially when Argentina spent the first 117 minutes of the final taking a total of zero shots on goal – far fewer than the cheap shots they took on the Spanish players. The trophy went to the right place, so I think we can celebrate that – and, of course, a tournament that, although it ended in the end, was a game of fun, love and joy. Please feel free to post in your reviews, thoughts, best, worst and all that. It’s over, but it’s up to us.
World Cup Every Day
I will leave you with the latest episode of the team in the World Cup every day. Daniel Harris will be here to take you through all the other news from the finals.
And it was a “disgusting end game,” according to Jonathan Wilson.
double quotation mark I think it would have been exciting if Argentina had equalized and won on penalties.I think Argentina’s performance today was a result of the passion shown throughout the tournament.
As Nick Ames writes, after “a tournament that moved, changed and tore the fabric of the sport, football itself appeared to be a sideshow for most of the afternoon”.
double quotation mark It ended with a depressing fever dream under the blue American sky … In everything Infantino and Trump sat side by side, holding the spectacle behind the reinforced glass.
Back to the action on the field, or a little closer to it. The awkward “closing” ceremony where Tom Cruise was booed by the crowd began to be heard in New Jersey. A halftime game that no one asked for closed the gap between no calls. Finally, having kept his physical distance throughout the tournament, US president Donald Trump tried to steal the show as the curtain fell.
“I think I heard the commentator say that the last team to beat Spain was Scotland. Does that mean Scotland have won the World Cup?!” it asked Peter Oh.
I don’t think that’s the way it (illegally) works sadly. Information it looks at the old way of staying the winner at the beginning of the tournament, when Australia were the unofficial world champions. But then the USA beat Australia, and then Turkey beat the USA … so I think it’s Turkey. But I could definitely be wrong.
What happened to Argentina’s talismanic captain? Was it the last time you saw him at the World Cup stage? It’s probably possible.
Pablo Iglesias Maurer puts it simply: the best player in the world will not see his legacy tarnished by this defeat but his team’s display ruined the game.
With their work of art and creativity, Spain defeated “an Argentinian team built on faith, the power of dedication and the belief in the pure absurd magic of your 39-year-old genius,” Barney Ronay he writes.
double quotation mark Well, at some point that magic will leave you. The deus ex machina will refuse to appear. And perhaps he is no longer at this stage now, with Prospero giving his final speech to the crowd in a shiny metal container outside New York.
De la Fuente in victory
Speaking after the game, the Spanish manager, who is very religious, said: “It’s written, and we deserve it.”
double quotation mark This team and the amazing fans deserve everything. We had a great day and we wanted to make it clear.The players asked me what is left to win. We all found out that the next game is in September [against England in the Nations League] because this group does not get tired.
With their calmness, Spain was never ending, Sid Lowe he says.
double quotation mark They came again, they were stopped again but they were not denied. A dozen different players were aiming for Emi Martínez’s goal but somehow he was standing still and time was running out, however Spain refused to do so, so they came up with something else.
The post-match brawl was a sad reflection of Argentina’s thwarted attempts to use their physicality against a resilient Spain. And that patience finally paid off, Jacob Steinberg writes, and Argentina is becoming increasingly frustrated as Spain refuses to take the bait.
The statistics also tell the story: Argentina’s xG was 0.00 until the conceding forced a foul. However, the threat increased to only 0.22.
Allow Instagram content?
This article includes content provided by Instagram. We ask for your permission before anything is uploaded, as they may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click ‘Accept and continue’.
As Spain began to celebrate their second World Cup victory, Leandro Paredes decided to continue his game after the final whistle, ensuring that the end was as bitter as possible. The Argentinian player started trouble seconds after the whistle blew when he attacked Eric García and pushed him in the neck. Paredes then threw down Gavi, receiving a red card for his troubles.
David Hytner
It was a triumph of vision, of self-awareness. With unshakable faith and perseverance. And when it ended, the new generation of Spain imitated the ones from the 2010 World Cup, all those famous names, there was confusion for them.
Background
Jo Khan
It’s over. After 104 matches, Spain have become world champions after beating Argentina 1-0 in extra time. In contrast to England’s third-placed win over France, the final was less exciting – and that includes the closing ceremony and half-time! (Another story, we’ll get to that.)
Luis de la Fuente’s side continued to push until the reigning champions couldn’t contain themselves anymore and Ferran Torres slammed it into the net in the 106th minute. The Guardian had a veritable crowd of journalists at the New York New Jersey Stadium to cover the final action on and off the field.
So, let’s get into it…there’s a lot!
