Spain vs Argentina Review
A goal by Ferran Torres deep into extra time secured Spain’s second World Cup title, as they defeated Argentina 1-0 and set a new European record for the longest unbeaten streak in international matches (38 games). While nerves are common in matches of this magnitude, the Spanish team showed no signs of anxiety early on, adopting an aggressive approach that nearly resulted in an early goal. Lamine Yamal played a key role, creating space from an inside right position before his shot, which was deflected, had to be saved by Emiliano Martínez’s legs.
Apart from that, the first 30 minutes saw few notable chances, with the main point of discussion being a robust challenge by Alexis Mac Allister on Dani Olmo that went unpunished, much to the frustration of the Spanish side. Martínez was definitely the busier goalkeeper in the first half, although all his saves were routine. Five minutes before halftime, he dived low to his left to easily catch Mikel Oyarzabal’s long-range shot. Just before the break, a Marc Cucurella attempt narrowly missed the target, perfectly summarizing a cautious first 45 minutes that featured a World Cup final record-low of only three shots in the first half.
Adding to the lackluster first half, a world-first halftime show at a World Cup final prolonged the wait for FIFA’s top two ranked teams to change the game’s momentum. In the 64th minute, Martínez almost looked foolish when he mishandled Olmo’s long-range shot, but luckily for him, the ball went just wide of the post. Martínez stayed heavily involved, making another smart save moments later by catching Ferran Torres’ close-range header. His resilience was crucial as Spanish pressure increased. The unexpected Pau Cubarsí was the next to challenge him, firing a powerful long-range shot that Martínez successfully pushed away.
The match took a dramatic turn during second-half stoppage time when Enzo Fernández, after receiving a petulant yellow card for dissent, became only the sixth player ever to be sent off in a World Cup final. His late challenge on Cubarsí earned him a second yellow card, resulting in a red. A late save by Martínez denied Yamal a winning goal with nearly the final kick of the match, pushing the game into extra time. However, playing with one less player did not bode well for Argentina, who became the first team in World Cup final history to not register a single shot in the regular 90 minutes.
Five minutes into extra time, Spain’s Nico Williams seemed to have dashed Argentina’s hopes further by quickly scoring into an empty net, but his celebration was cut short when referee Slavko Vinčić spotted a foul by Mikel Merino on Nicolás Otamendi during the buildup. Eventually, Argentina’s resistance was broken after 106 minutes when Torres stayed alert inside the box, capitalized on Williams’ knockdown, and powered a shot into the top of the net. This secured Spain’s sixth win in seven major tournament finals, while leaving Argentina, who failed to defend their 2022 World Cup title.
