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Spain 1–0 Argentina—World Cup: Match Stats, As It Happened

The 104th and final match of the 2026 World Cup was what the last five and a half weeks have been about.
Toby Cudworth, Grey Whitebloom|
Spain was a fitting champion.
Spain was a fitting champion. | Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated

After 38 days of fun and games, the World Cup finally reached its conclusion with Spain against Argentina.

A match billed as Lamine Yamal vs. Lionel Messi; young vs. old; the future vs. the past, present and potential GOAT, was actually decided by Ferran Torres, a 26-year-old who doesn’t fit into any of those categories.

While Yamal skittered around the fringes of the contest, delivering a performance befitting his entire World Cup, almost but not quite as impressive as he can typically muster, Messi emphatically failed to show up.

Argentina’s talisman had just one shot, which smacked Mikel Merino in the face, throughout the entire 120 minutes. The defending world champion only managed one other effort in a bizarrely tepid showing. Unai Simón didn’t need to make a single save.

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Toby Cudworth
TOBY CUDWORTH

Toby Cudworth is Lead Editor for SI FC. A Premier League, EFL and UEFA accredited journalist, Cudworth is a graduate of the University of Gloucestershire, where he studied Broadcast Journalism. He previously worked for 90min as a writer, academy manager, editor and eventually content lead, before joining Sports Illustrated in May 2025. A lifelong supporter of West Ham United, he still can’t quite believe they won a European trophy and feels nature is healing now that results have slipped back into the yo-yo patterns of the last 30 years.

Grey Whitebloom
GREY WHITEBLOOM

Grey Whitebloom is an Associate Editor for SI FC. He has more than half a decade of experience in sports media across all its various guises, from the fast-paced demands of news articles and match reports to in-depth research required for features. Whitebloom graduated with a First Class Honours from University College London and found himself named on the Dean’s List—which, despite his initial fears, was a form of praise rather than a punishment. He specialises in the Premier League and Champions League, while also boasting an extensive track record of La Liga coverage.

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