East Rutherford (New Jersey), 20 July (H.S.): European champions Spain defeated defending champions Argentina 1-0 after extra time in a thrilling FIFA World Cup final early Monday (IST) to lift their second World Cup title.

Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the 106th minute of extra time, securing Spain's first FIFA World Cup triumph since 2010 and the nation's second overall.

The Barcelona forward had come on as a substitute for Mikel Oyarzabal in the 62nd minute. During extra time, Nico Williams connected with a cross from Pedro Porro with a powerful header. Although Argentina failed to clear the ball convincingly, it fell to Ferran Torres, who calmly finished from close range to hand Spain the lead.

The turning point came in the 90th minute when Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernández committed a dangerous foul on Spain's young defender Pau Cubarsí. Referee Slavko Vinčić showed Fernández a second yellow card, followed by a red, forcing Argentina to play the remainder of the match with 10 men.

Spain dominated possession and created several scoring opportunities throughout the contest, but could not find the breakthrough until extra time. Argentina, meanwhile, struggled to penetrate Spain's disciplined and resilient defence.

Messi Unable to Make an Impact

Lionel Messi was unable to influence the match significantly. Argentina registered its first shot on target only in the 117th minute, when Messi's attempt was blocked by Spanish defenders.

Argentina, which had been aiming to retain the World Cup and become the first nation since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend the title, saw that dream come to an end.

The South American side launched a late assault in search of an equaliser during the closing moments, but Spain's defence held firm to preserve the lead and script another historic triumph.

The final marked the 104th and last match of the largest-ever FIFA World Cup, featuring 48 teams and jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. A total of 307 goals were scored during the tournament, the highest tally in FIFA World Cup history.

The final was attended by several prominent personalities from the worlds of sports and entertainment. US President Donald Trump was also present at the stadium and took part in the trophy presentation ceremony.

The closing ceremony featured a performance by renowned singer Post Malone, while the halftime show included performances by global stars Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira, BTS, Burna Boy, and several other internationally acclaimed artists.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar