Spain dethrone 10 man Argentina to win World Cup

Final

Spain 1-0 Argentina AET

Super sub Ferran Torres fired Spain to their second men’s World Cup triumph as what may be Lionel Messi’s last dance ended in 10-man Argentina falling to a meek 1-0 extra-time defeat.

Billed as a box-office final between the South American and European champions, what transpired was a defence versus attack exercise as the holders showed spirit but precious little else.

Faltering Argentina failed to muster a shot across 90 minutes and only Emiliano Martinez’s heroics kept Spain at bay, with the goalkeeper preventing teenager Lamine Yamal from scoring a match-winning free-kick.

The reigning champions lost Enzo Fernandez to a brainless second yellow card just before extra time, with Lionel Scaloni’s lacklustre side continuing to stumble against Luis de la Fuente’s classy, ball-playing outfit.

Spain kept knocking at the door and substitute Torres eventually slammed home at the start of the second period of extra time.

Argentina were unable to eke out an equaliser having been a pale imitation of the team that broke England’s hearts in Wednesday’s semi-final.

Tempers frayed as the final whistle sparked Spanish celebrations and surely called time on 39-year-old star Messi’s last World Cup match.

United States President Donald Trump was among the star-studded crowd at MetLife Stadium, where the closing ceremony was packed with so much American razzmatazz that kick-off was delayed by five minutes.

Tom Cruise gave a cringeworthy speech and ring announcer Michael Buffer bellowed ‘let’s get ready to rumble’, which Argentina once again took as an invitation to rough up their opponents.

Referee Slavko Vincic was as lenient as Wednesday’s official against England as the champions attempted to unceremoniously break up Spain’s patient, probing play.

Yamal forced Martinez into the first of many saves, but play was slow in the New Jersey sun. Argentina’s number one comfortably dealt with a Mikel Oyarzabal effort and was relieved to see Marc Cucurella’s drive miss.

A tense, if forgettable, opening was followed by a surreal half-time that swung from Ronaldo and Ronaldinho driving a car with Madonna to the Muppets, leading to an interval that reached 27 minutes and 20 seconds.

Spain continued in the ascendancy after the first-ever World Cup half-time show and continued to by unruffled by Argentinian intimidation.

Martinez just stopped Dani Olmo and freshly introduced Torres saw a powerful header denied as Argentina continued to sit back without taking a shot.

Scaloni’s side had no answers as Pedri had an effort before Pau Cubarsi stung the palms from distance.

Martinez dealt with an Aymeric Laporte header and Torres turned wide as the onslaught continued, with Argentina midfielder Fernandez booked before a frantic end to regulation time.

Martinez parried a Nico Williams shot clear and the Argentina midfielder flipped Cubarsi with an ugly attempt to win the ball, collecting a second booking that he inexplicably protested against.

It was a self-inflicted stoppage-time wound that would have been followed by a winner was it not for inspired goalkeeper Martinez. Yamal whipped a wicked 25-yard free-kick that was bound for the top corner until his intervention.

Argentina held on but extra time offered no respite as the Martinez show continued.

The Aston Villa shot-stopper thwarted Williams and was then relieved to see his goal ruled out for an apparent foul in the build-up.

Mikel Merino powered a header narrowly wide as Spain kept knocking on the door, with the goal finally arriving within a minute of the second period getting under way.

Williams stretched to meet a hooked cross and nodded back for Torres to thrash home, sparking wild celebrations as substitutes poured onto the pitch.

Torres looked to have sealed victory when running through to beat Martinez, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside in the build-up to keep Argentina’s hopes alive.

Hearts were in mouths when Spain just stopped a cross finding its man, so too when Giuliano Simeone fired over, but there was to be no blockbuster conclusion.

Spain celebrated becoming the first nation to hold the men’s and women’s World Cup titles simultaneously, while tensions boiled over after the final whistle.