One senior NBCUniversal Telemundo exec predicted the 2026 World Cup Final could be a game for the ages, but it wasn’t quite on par with, say, Argentina-England in 1986. In fact, if there was a “Hand of God” in this one, it belonged to Argentina’s keeper, Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez, who was playing with a broken finger on his right hand.
But even divine intervention wasn’t enough to push the defending champions past Spain, which won its first World Cup Final since 2010.
Throughout the game, Martínez, kept Argentina in it, making 10 saves in the first 98 minutes of the game. That was an all-time record for the World Cup Final. By comparison, Martínez made nine saves total in the seven tournament games before the Final.
But Spain dominated the ball throughout with their trademark pressure. In the first half, the Spanish side possessed the ball 62% of the time, with Argentinian great Leonel Messi only touching the ball once.
Argentina, as is their trademark, began asserting themselves in the second half, slightly dialing up the aggression — maybe too much so for midfielder Enzo Fernandez. He received his second yellow card in the ninety-second minute. That meant he was out of the game and Argentina played the remainder of extra time and the two overtime quarters one man down.
Spain had a chance to end it int he 98th minute with a free kick just outside the penalty box, but Martínez saved that one as well.
Regular time ended with Spain having 16 shots on goal and Argentina none.
Nico Williams Jr. put the ball in the net just before the 100th minute, but the goal was called back due to a foul in the box as Spain’s Mikel Merino stepped on Otamendi’s foot.
Then, in minute 105, Spain finally broke through with midfielder Ferran Torres smashing one into the net off a deflection. Fittingly, for a team that has won through great team play, it was Torres’ first goal of the tournament. His side ended with 20 shots in regular and extra time. By comparison, Argentina did not have a single shot on goal until the match’s 116th minute.
Spain’s victory marked the team’s first World Cup Final victory in more than a decade. It also likely marked the end of 39-year-old, all-time great Lionel Messi’s World Cup career.
