Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in extra time to win their second World Cup title, while France’s Kylian Mbappé secured the Golden Boot with nine goals despite Les Bleus finishing fourth.
Spain are the champions of the world after defeating Argentina 1-0 in extra time at MetLife Stadium, with Ferran Torres scoring the decisive 106th-minute winner to deny Lionel Messi a fairytale back-to-back title.
Kylian Mbappé officially won the 2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot, securing the award with nine goals despite France finishing fourth in the tournament. Lionel Messi finished second with seven goals, while England’s Bukayo Saka ended the tournament with six goals. Argentina’s Julián Álvarez scored five, and Spain’s Dani Olmo finished with four.
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Spanish midfielder Rodri was named the tournament’s Golden Ball winner with a 9.5/10 rating, completely controlling the tempo and misplacing only three passes in 120 minutes. Ferran Torres earned 8.5/10 as the ultimate super-sub, scoring the historic winning goal with a clinical finish. Nico Williams earned 8/10 for providing the decisive assist and causing constant chaos on the flank.
Argentina’s Emiliano Martínez earned 9/10, keeping his side alive for over 100 minutes with 10 saves, including three world-class stops. Cristian Romero earned 7.5/10 for his defensive resilience, while Lionel Messi earned just 6/10 after being starved of service by Spain’s high press. Enzo Fernández received a 3/10 after picking up a needless second yellow card in the 93rd minute, leaving his team exhausted and undermanned with his side reduced to ten men in extra time.
According to a report by Accra Street Journal, Spain’s victory extends their unbeaten run across all competitions to a joint-record 37 matches. This was Spain’s first-ever meeting against Argentina in a World Cup final, earning them their second World Cup title in history, adding to their 2010 triumph.
Source: Accra Street Journal
Last Updated on July 20, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu
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Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.
