Spain Dominates Argentina en route to 1-0 World Cup Final Triumph
- Ronan Briscoe
- Jul 21
- 3 min read
Credit Ashley Landis, Associated Press
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
The King is dead, long live the King.
Spain have claimed their second World Cup title after defeating reigning champions Argentina 1-0 in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sunday.
In what can only be described as 120 minutes of complete and utter dominance, a La Roja side that only conceded one goal the entire tournament once again shut down an at times lethal Albiceleste attack. Spain's defensive dominance was such that Argentina did not register a single shot, on or off target, until the 117th minute.
Let that sit with you for a moment. Argentina, who had stormed back against England, who had stormed back against Egypt, who had won a track meet of a game against Cape Verde, held without a shot for the first 116 minutes of a World Cup Final.
Through 90 minutes, it was clear Argentina was holding on for dear life, but the situation only got more dire in second half stoppage time as Enzo Fernandez picked up a second yellow card to send Argentina down to 10 men. Emi Martinez, the Argentine goalkeeper, did his absolute best to give his nation a chance, recording a World Cup Final record 11 saves, but eventually, the dam broke.
Just seconds into the second half of extra time, Nico Williams pulled back a low cross for Ferran Torres, who, though often maligned, stepped up when the moment was its largest and fired Spain in front in the 106th minute. From there it was a formality. Even as Spain allowed Argentina the ball, and even as Argentina made forays into the final third, there was never going to be any other result.
For Spain, they once again rise to heights in international football that few have ever attained. It was considered among the greatest achievements in the history of the sport when La Roja lifted the 2008 European Championship and 2010 World Cup back-to-back. It made them only the third nation to hold both titles simultaneously, joining West Germany who won the Euros in 1972 and the World Cup in 1974, and France who followed their 1998 home soil World Cup triumph with another title in Euro 2000.
They will head into Euro 2028 looking to go back-to-back-to-back just as their predecessors did in 2008, 2010, and 2012. For Argentina, the mood is the polar opposite.
Is this the end of an era? Manager Lionel Scaloni has been publicly coy about his future with Argentina, and rumors abound about whether Lionel Messi will retire from international football. Copa America 2028 is on the horizon, and it would be Argentina's lone competitive experience considering they will qualify for the 2030 World Cup as joint hosts along with Paraguay, Uruguay, Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
Whatever the future holds for the likes of Scaloni and Messi with the Albiceleste, the last eight years have been nothing short of remarkable. Two Copa America titles and a World Cup triumph in 2022 define this era as nothing less than a smashing success.
Did we witness two nations on opposing trajectories Sunday in New Jersey? Only time will tell.
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