Spain secured their second FIFA World Cup title with a grueling 1-0 extra-time victory over Argentina at MetLife Stadium.

Ferran Torres delivered the definitive 106th-minute volley to seal the trophy, as Lionel Messi and his team failed to make a mark.

Lionel Scaloni’s men failed because they simply could not possess the ball or relieve the immense pressure. Suffocated by Spain’s tactical chokehold, La Albiceleste uncharacteristically registered zero shots during the initial 90 minutes of regulation.

The defensive structure unraveled entirely when Enzo Fernández was sent off deep in stoppage time, leaving them a man down for the entirety of extra time. This tactical suffocation marked a tragic end to Lionel Messi’s final World Cup match.

At 39, Messi became the oldest outfield player to ever grace a World Cup final, but he spent the afternoon starved of service and completely isolated from the game. Denied back-to-back titles, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner could only watch in tears as Spain’s golden generation stood on top of the world, leaving a legendary international chapter closed in absolute heartbreak.

Messi, after the match, was seen crying in disappointment, as it may mark the end of his presence in FIFA World Cups.

At the press conference, emotions were running high as well. Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni was unable to control his emotion and started crying at the post-match press conference. His voice choked as Scaloni depicted the painful defeat was very hard to take, before apologizing to the media.

“It hurts. It hurts my soul. I am sorry,” a crying Scaloni said.

Like Messi, Scaloni has been an architect of Argentina’s success. The 48-year-old has been at the helm since 2018 and has led Argentina to multiple titles. Under his tutelage, Los Albicelestes won the Copa America twice in 2021 and 2024, and they also won the World Cup title in Qatar in 2022.