Spain's scoring machine is impervious to Argentina's attempts to disrupt it

Sixteen years after that magical night in Johannesburg, Spanish soccer has a new hero. Back then, in July 2010, Andrés Iniesta scored the winning goal in the 116th minute against the Netherlands, securing the “Furia Roja’s” first World Cup title. History loves to repeat itself, and so it found its perfect echo on Sunday evening in New Jersey. Ferran Torres stepped out of the long shadow of the past and secured Spain’s second World Cup title in the 106th minute with his 1-0 winning goal against Argentina. His goal is the ultimate culmination of a Spanish renaissance.

Although the Argentine media had previously mocked him as “pechofrío”—a player who lacks passion in crucial moments and fails under pressure—Torres stepped into Iniesta’s shoes and proved his critics wrong. As he received the trophy, the match-winner struggled to find the right words: “I wasn’t thinking; the ball just came to me, and I think I deserved it.” Torres remained humble: “It was a goal scored by 47 million people, not just mine. We’re a team of 26 players, and everyone had their moment in this tournament. It was a tough World Cup for me personally.”

For Torres, this night was also a statement in his own right: While there is ongoing discussion at his club in Barcelona about complicated contract clauses, he provided the perfect response.

Almost all the awards go to Spain

A glance at the statistics proves that this Spanish triumph was well deserved. Rarely in the history of the World Cup has a final been so one-sided. The final statistics read like a complete rout: Spain recorded 20 shots on goal, while the dethroned defending champion from South America managed only two harmless attempts. Spain’s dominance is even more striking when it comes to shots directly on target. The Spaniards tested Argentine goalie Emiliano Martínez twelve times, while Argentina did not register a single shot on goal against Unai Simón during the regular 90 minutes and posted a disastrous expected goals (xG) value of 0.09.

A finalist that doesn’t force the opposing goalie to make a single save inevitably forfeits its claim to the title. Spain’s dominance was on full display in its familiar, efficient passing game. The Spaniards recorded nearly twice as many passes, keeping both the ball and their opponents on the move.

At the heart of Spain’s dominance was a midfield that handled the ball with confidence. Rodri and Fabian Ruiz orchestrated the action with surgical precision, inevitably evoking memories of the glory days of Xavi Hernandez and Iniesta. It’s therefore no surprise that Spain swept the prestigious tournament awards: Playmaker Rodri was named the tournament’s best player, Unai Simon secured the award for best goalkeeper, and 19-year-old Pau Cubarsi, who calmly kept the opposing offense in check, was named the best young player.

The only title that did not go to the Spaniards was the top scorer’s crown, which went for the second time in a row to France’s Kylian Mbappé (ten goals). A remarkable detail underscores that Spain’s dominance is no coincidence: 16 players on this World Cup-winning squad had already triumphed at the European Championship two years ago. Spain not only shines thanks to its individual talents but also dominates the international soccer stage as an unshakable, well-established team.

Messi Announces His Departure

Argentina, meanwhile, disappointed across the board and betrayed its own soccer values. Instead of seeking to play an attacking game, the South Americans resorted—as they had throughout the entire tournament—to rough play and tactical destruction. This approach was like a dangerous tightrope walk that ultimately culminated in the yellow-red card against Enzo Fernández. The justified sending-off sealed the fate of the “Albiceleste,” who were now down a man. Constantly reacting instead of taking the initiative drained the players of all their reserves.

And Lionel Messi? His 34th appearance on the World Cup stage was definitely his last—and the 39-year-old became a tragic figure. Isolated from the rest of the team, deprived of any passing options, and overwhelmed by Spain’s pressing machine, even he couldn’t avert defeat this time. Messi ran tirelessly, but the foundation beneath him had long since crumbled.

But despite the fact that Messi was denied yet another chapter of success in his international career, the experts agreed: In the end, attacking soccer prevailed, and Spain rightfully reclaimed the throne.