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WELL
PLAYED:
Spain
Wins
World
Cup Over
Argentina
1-0 In
Overtime
Thriller
Bunky
McFadden
- Sports
Tell Us
USA News
Network
EAST
RUTHERFORD,
N.J. — A
new era
of
global
soccer
dominance
was
written
into the
history
books on
Sunday
at
MetLife
Stadium.
Super-sub
Ferran
Torres
scored a
dramatic
volley
in the
106th
minute
of extra
time to
give
European
champions
Spain a
1-0
victory
over
defending
champions
Argentina,
securing
La
Roja’s
second
men's
FIFA
World
Cup
title.
The
monumental
triumph
represents
a
historic
milestone
for
Spain,
becoming
the
first
nation
ever to
hold
both the
men's
and
women's
World
Cup
titles
simultaneously.
Total
Spanish
Dominance
While
the
narrow
scoreline
suggests
a
balanced
chess
match,
the
reality
on the
pitch
was a
showcase
of
complete
tactical
control
by Luis
de la
Fuente's
side.
Spain
dictated
terms
from
kickoff,
strangling
Argentina’s
transitions
and
suffocating
a
star-studded
Albiceleste
attack
led by
Lionel
Messi.
Spain
remarkably
fired
the
match’s
first 20
consecutive
shots on
goal.
During
the
initial
90
minutes
of
regulation,
Spain
unleashed
15 shots
and
earned 9
corners
compared
to zero
shots
and just
one
corner
for
Argentina.
Argentina
only
remained
in the
match
due to
the
heroic,
record-shattering
efforts
of
goalkeeper
Emiliano
"Dibu"
Martínez.
Martínez
stood as
an
impenetrable
wall,
racking
up a
World
Cup
Final-record
12
saves—including
a
jaw-dropping
diving
stop in
the
dying
moments
of
regulation
against
a
curling
free
kick
from
teen
sensation
Lamine
Yamal.
Red
Cards
and the
Breakthrough
Argentina’s
structural
resilience
began to
crack
late in
regulation.
In the
second
minute
of
second-half
stoppage
time,
midfielder
Enzo
Fernández
received
his
second
yellow
card for
a
reckless
challenge
that
sent
Spain's
Pau
Cubarsí
flipping
through
the air.
Sent off
immediately,
Fernández
left La
Albiceleste
with 10
men to
brave
the
grueling
30
minutes
of extra
time.
The
tactical
breakthrough
finally
arrived
just
after
the
extra-time
intermission.
In the
106th
minute,
Nico
Williams
tracked
down a
deep
cross
and
expertly
nodded
it back
down
into the
penalty
box. A
waiting
Ferran
Torres,
who came
off the
bench in
the 61st
minute,
pounced
on the
bouncing
ball and
hammered
a lethal
left-footed
strike
directly
under
the
crossbar,
leaving
Martínez
helpless.
It
was a
goal
scored
by 47
million
people,
an
emotional
Torres
said
post-match,
dedicating
the
crowning
moment
to the
population
of
Spain.
Argentina,
desperate
to
extend
the
game,
finally
logged
their
first
shot
attempts
in the
second
half of
extra
time.
Their
best
opportunity
arrived
with
just
four
minutes
remaining
when a
Lionel
Messi
corner
deflected
to
Giuliano
Simeone,
but the
reserve
attacker
sent his
rushed
attempt
over the
crossbar.
Historic
Milestones
Spain
achieved
a
defensive
record
of 1
goal
conceded
in 8
matches,
the
fewest
ever by
a World
Cup
champion.
In a
managerial
feat,
Luis de
la
Fuente,
at 65
years
old,
becomes
the
oldest
manager
to win a
World
Cup. The
win
extends
their
historic
unbeaten
streak
to 38
matches
without
defeat.
The
glitzy
finale,
which
featured
pre-game
and
halftime
performances
by Tom
Cruise,
Jennifer
Hudson,
Madonna,
and
K-pop
icons
BTS,
marks a
passing
of the
torch.
While it
spells a
heartbreaking
end to
Lionel
Messi's
historic
World
Cup
career,
it
cements
this
relentless,
defensively
bulletproof
Spanish
generation
as the
undisputed
kings of
world
football.
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