Argentina and Spain draw 0-0; extra time with ten players

A hat trick of honors

Spain won the 2026 World Cup by beating Argentina 1-0 in extra time. But the dominance did not end there: the European team also took home the main individual recognitions awarded by FIFA.

Unai Simón, Athletic Club goalkeeper, received the Golden Glove. In the entire competition he only conceded one goal, against Belgium in the quarterfinals. An impeccable tournament for the goalkeeper.

Pau Cubarsí, a 19-year-old central defender who plays for Barcelona, ​​was chosen as the best young player of the World Cup. His performance in his first World Cup impressed everyone.

Rodri, Manchester City midfielder, won the tournament MVP award. He was the pillar of the world champion, showing consistency and leadership in each match.

Mbappé, the historic scorer

Although he was not present at the ceremony, Kylian Mbappé won the Golden Boot with 10 goals in the 2026 World Cup. The French forward also became the all-time top scorer in the World Cups. With his double against England he reached 22 goals, surpassing Lionel Messi’s 21.

Conor McGregor confirmed that he suffered a torn right anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus damage during his UFC 329 fight against Max Holloway, which lasted just 1:09 minutes.

The Irish fighter compared the injury to the one he suffered on the opposite leg against the same opponent in 2013. “It’s the same injury as in the first fight with Holloway, only this time on the opposite leg. Quite serious,” he wrote in a post on X.

How did the injury occur?

McGregor’s return to the Octagon after a five-year absence ended abruptly when he fell awkwardly while attempting to land a kick in the opening seconds. The 38-year-old tried to continue, but the fight was stopped after falling to the canvas two more times.

Recovery details

McGregor underwent surgery last week and said he is now walking without crutches. Optimistically, he plans to return to the octagon in 2027. “At that time I returned to compete in 9 months to fight Diego Brandao. With the current advances in regenerative medicine and improved training methods, it is totally within my possibilities to return for next summer,” he said.

The duel for the world title between Argentina and Spain remains goalless at the end of the first extra time. The final, played in East Rutherford, New Jersey, is a tactical duel where Spain dominates possession but cannot beat Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez.

Lionel Messi looks for a goal to equal Kylian Mbappé as the all-time top scorer in World Cups. Argentina aspires to its fourth title, while Spain seeks its second title after 2010. A curious detail: in 2007, Messi, in a UNICEF campaign, bathed a child who turned out to be Lamine Yamal, today a member of the Spanish team.

Spain controlled the game, but ran into key saves from Martínez. In addition, they have played with numerical superiority since the second half, when Enzo Fernández received a red card for a foul on Pau Cubarsí. Argentina, which won the 2022 World Cup on penalties, will now have to resist with ten players.

In the second extra time, Spain managed to open the scoring: Ferran Torres defined a cross from Nico Williams in the 106th minute. However, minutes later a goal by Williams was disallowed due to a prior foul by Mikel Merino on Nicolás Otamendi.

If Argentina wins, Lionel Scaloni would be the second coach to win two consecutive World Cups (after Vittorio Pozzo). If Spain wins, Luis de la Fuente would become the oldest coach to win the tournament, at 65 years old.

Spain maintains an unbeaten streak of 37 games. Argentina has seven consecutive victories in World Cups. The halftime show included Madonna, Shakira, BTS and an orchestra conducted by Gustavo Dudamel.