Substitute Ferran Torres struck in the 106th minute to hand Spain a 1-0 victory over 10-man Argentina in the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday, delivering the country its second World Cup title and first since 2010. Torres, who had not scored in the tournament before the final, converted Nico Williams' knockdown to write himself into Spanish football history.

How the Winning Goal Arrived

Torres entered the pitch in the 62nd minute, replacing Mikel Oyarzabal, with the match still goalless. Extra time proved decisive when Williams' knockdown fell to Torres, who swept the ball home in the 106th minute. The goal came against an Argentina side reduced to ten men, though the source did not specify when or why the dismissal occurred.

What Torres Said After the Final

The Barcelona forward was visibly emotional after the final whistle, reflecting on the weight of the moment. 'I think in the end the goal came from 47 million people, not just those of us that are here,' Torres said, dedicating the strike to the people of Spain.

'Today destiny was written, it was made for us to win. We're far from our people today but we tried to be as close as possible to them,' he added.

Torres also acknowledged the pressure of facing Lionel Messi's Argentina in the showpiece. 'Finals are hard. When you have Messi on the opposing team, you do get worried, but we always backed ourselves and tried to show our football and I think we managed to do it once again,' he said.

A Tournament Under Scrutiny

Torres had faced criticism throughout the tournament for his performances before Sunday's intervention. 'It was a huge relief [to score],' he admitted. 'I've been criticised throughout the whole tournament, but as I said before destiny was written,' he said. Notably, match-winning contributions from squad players — rather than established starters — have become a recurring theme in Spain's major tournament victories.

Spain's Second World Cup Title

The victory marks Spain's second FIFA World Cup triumph, following their historic 2010 title in South Africa. Defeating a Lionel Messi-led Argentina side in the final lends this triumph particular weight, given Argentina's status as reigning World Cup champions. The win cements this generation of Spanish players as genuine heirs to the golden era of 2008–2012, when Spain dominated world football with back-to-back European Championships and a World Cup. Eyes will now turn to how Spain consolidates this momentum heading into the next major international cycle.