Spain’s World Cup finals hero Ferran Torres admitted he still struggles to believe what he got after scoring the extra-time winner that sealed a 1-0 victory against Lionel Messi’s Argentina in the final match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.The Barcelona striker, who was introduced on the bench by coach Luis de la Fuente, put his name in the history of Spanish football with a decisive strike in the 106th minute at MetLife Stadium. Moments after the final whistle, an emotional Torres admitted that the grandeur of the event had yet to sink in. “Honestly, I can’t believe it. I’m trying to enjoy it, but I don’t know what’s going on,” said Torres in an interview with the broadcaster, in a video shared by DAZN Football on X. “I didn’t think too much. I just saw the ball coming to me and I just shot with the power of all the Spanish people.”The goal made Spain world champions for only the second time after their first triumph in 2010 and ended Argentina’s hopes of becoming the first country since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend the FIFA World Cup.
‘The target was 47 million people’
Torres later conceded his match-winning goal to the Spaniardshe insists that the victory was for the whole country and not just the team.“The goal was for 47 million people; it wasn’t just me, or of the 26 players who are here,” Torres said, according to FIFA. “I believe today’s result was written in the stars. This game was there for us to win. We were far from our people, but we did everything we could to make them feel closer.”Spain dominated the match from the whistle, controlling possession, creating more and more chances and preventing Argentina from conceding anything. However it took until extra time for La Roja to break through.Just 37 seconds into the second period of extra time, Pedro Porro floated in a deep cross that Nico Williams crossed back into the goal. Torres timed it well before curling a left-footed shot into the roof of the net beyond Emiliano Martinez, whose 12th save kept Argentina alive for more than 100 minutes.
Meeting Messi on the biggest stage
Torres also acknowledged the special pressure facing Lionel Messi in what is expected to be Argentina’s final World Cup captaincy.“All finals are difficult. When Messi is on the opposing team, fear always comes,” said Torres. “But in the end we’ve been sticking to our guns, playing our football, and I think today we showed it again.”Spain’s display of honor capped off one of the greatest World Cup campaigns in recent memory. Luis de la Fuente’s side finished the tournament unbeaten, scoring one goal in eight games and adding the FIFA World Cup title to the UEFA Euro 2024 crown.