Spain defeated Argentina in the FIFA World Cup with a thrilling 1-0 extra-time win.
It is the Spanish men’s team’s second World Cup title, after winning their first in 2010. And for this squad, the win marked the 38th consecutive match without a loss, a run that includes their 2024 European Championship title.
Spain was the best team throughout the tournament. They never trailed at any point in any game. Not only that, but the Spaniards also accomplished this while playing an extra game due to the expanded FIFA format.
A feat that will place “La Roja” among the best of all-time World Cup winners.
In another first of sorts, Spain’s best player, 19-year-old Lamine Yamal, scored only one goal throughout the tournament. A rarity, especially at the elite international level, and especially in this year’s tournament, where star power played such an important role.
As if the team needed any more accolades, they are also the only team to go through the entire tournament without conceding more than one goal. Again, an incredible achievement given that they played an extra game.
The win marks Spain’s second World Cup championship, and its first since 2010.
After a shaky performance against the relatively unknown but remarkably competent Cape Verde, Spain turned it on and ran through the rest of the tournament while defeating the class of European and South American soccer.
They defeated their next-door neighbor and archrival Portugal, ending Cristiano Ronaldo’s international career. Next, they handled an extremely talented Belgian team by a final score of 2-1. They pulled off a wire-to-wire domination of France in the semifinals, probably their most convincing win of the tournament.
Argentina, on the other hand, survived and won more than they lost in most of their matches, coming from behind to defeat Cape Verde, Egypt, and England.
Argentina managed to keep the score scoreless as goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez put on an acrobatic display, deflecting the offensive onslaught poured on by the Spanish.
So suffocating was the Spanish defense that Argentina managed zero shots and only two touches in Spain’s box through halftime of extra time.
The victory for Spain marks what, in all likelihood, will be the final World Cup appearance for legendary Argentinian player Lionel Messi.
Conversely, it is the first World Cup for Spanish star Lamine Yamal, 19, who figures to have many more international appearances ahead of him.