EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.
― Ferran Torres believed it was Spain’s destiny to win this World Cup.
And he struck his decisive finish like a man certain of his convictions Torres powered home an emphatic half-volley from nine yards out in the 106th minute to lift Spain to their second World Cup title with a 1-0 win over gutsy, 10-man Argentina in Sunday’s final.
“I think that in the end, the goal belonged to 47 million people, not to me or the 26 players here,” Torres said via an interpreter.
“I believe that today destiny was written, it was meant for us to win, far from our fans, but we tried to make them feel as close as possible.” Torres’ deserved decider came 16 years and eight days after Andres Iniesta also scored in extra time to lift the Spaniards to their first World Championship with a 1-0 victory over the Netherlands.
The winning goal came on La Roja’s 20th shot of the contest against the defending champions, who failed to manage any to that point and struggled to wrest possession away from their superior Iberian opponents.
That was true at even strength and became more difficult when the Albiceleste’s numbers were reduced when Enzo Fernandez’s late challenge of Pau Cubarsi left referee Slavko Vincic no choice but to produce a second caution just before the end of normal time.
Spain remain the only nation ever to win the European Championship and World Cup in successive tournaments, having now done so a second time after their Euro 2024 title.
They are also the first World Cup champion ever to concede only once across an entire tournament.
And they are the first winner of the UEFA Nations League to capture a World title, having captured the eight-year-old competition in 2022-2023.
“We’ve won everything, everything,” said Spain manager Luis de la Fuente through an interpreter.
“And that’s wonderful, with a generation of footballers, I’ll say it again and again, who are an example for Spanish sport,....
