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Spain win 2026 World Cup as Mbappe takes Golden Boot — Spain won the 2026 World Cup after substitute Ferran Torres scored in the 106th minute to secure a 1-0 extra-time victory over Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday

Editorial Team

Ferran Torres sinks Argentina in extra time as Rodri, Unai Simon and Pau Cubarsi win awards

Spain won the 2026 World Cup after substitute Ferran Torres scored in the 106th minute to secure a 1-0 extra-time victory over Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday. Spain ended the final in front of 80,000 fans, having dominated for long spells before finally breaking the deadlock.

Beyond the title, Spain also led the individual honours, while France forward Kylian Mbappe finished as the tournament’s top scorer to claim his second Golden Boot.

The final capped a tournament in which Spain combined the sport’s biggest prize with multiple end-of-event awards, underlining the depth of their squad across defence, midfield and youth ranks. The distribution of honours also highlighted a competitive field, with Mbappe’s scoring output standing out despite France not reaching the final.

Several awards were decided by measurable tournament performance, from goals and assists to clean sheets and overall involvement, offering a snapshot of who shaped the competition most consistently.

Major 2026 World Cup Awards

World Cup champions: Spain, winners over Argentina in the final at New York New Jersey Stadium.
Golden Boot (top scorer): Kylian Mbappe (France), with 10 goals and four assists, ahead of Lionel Messi (Argentina) on eight goals and four assists.
Golden Ball (best player): Rodri (Spain). Messi received the Silver Ball and Mbappe the Bronze Ball.
Golden Glove (best goalkeeper): Unai Simon (Spain), with seven clean sheets.
Best Young Player: Pau Cubarsi (Spain).
FIFA Fair Play Award: The Netherlands, with three yellow cards during the tournament.

How the Final Was Decided

Spain secured the trophy by defeating Argentina 1-0 in extra time, with Torres coming off the bench to score the match-winning goal late in the second period of extra time. Torres said after the match: “It was a goal scored by 47 million people, it wasn’t even mine or from the 26 players. It was destined to happen; it was meant to be a winner.”

The Netherlands’ Fair Play award came despite an early exit, as Morocco eliminated the Dutch 3-2 on penalties in the round of 32 after the Netherlands entered the tournament as favourites in Group F.

The 2026 tournament was the first men’s World Cup staged with 48 teams and was co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, expanding travel demands and altering the competitive landscape compared with the 32-team era.

Spain’s earlier World Cup breakthrough came in 2010, after their Euro 2008 title, and the national team then navigated a long rebuild before returning to the top.

Performance Marks Behind the Honours

Mbappe, 27, finished as the tournament’s leading scorer and was credited with 22 World Cup goals across his career, described in the material as the most in history. His Golden Boot was decided after he scored twice in France’s third-place match against England, a game England won 6-4.

Rodri won the Golden Ball despite recording no goals or assists in Spain’s eight matches, with the award rationale citing his tournament-leading totals for completed passes, distance covered and overall involvements. Unai Simon’s seven clean sheets set a new single-tournament mark, and his nine career World Cup clean sheets left him one short of the record of 10 shared by Fabien Barthez and Peter Shilton.

In comments made ahead of the final, former player Tobin Heath described Cubarsi as “the most incredible name” among young players, highlighting his minutes played and effectiveness within Spain’s defence.

FIFA’s tournament wrap-up listed the final as taking place on July 19, 2026 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, confirming Spain as champions after a 1-0 extra-time win.

FIFA’s top-scorer report credited Kylian Mbappe with the 2026 adidas Golden Boot, meaning references to a “second” relate to his career tally rather than a runner-up finish.

What Happens Next

Spain leave the tournament as world champions, with multiple individual awards reinforcing their dominance across positions. France’s Mbappe departs with the Golden Boot, while Argentina’s Messi was recognised with the Silver Ball.

FIFA’s awards conclude the 2026 World Cup cycle, and no further official decisions related to the tournament honours were indicated in the material.