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In a tense, physically fraught World Cup final at East Rutherford’s MetLife Stadium, Ferran Torres’ 106th-minute strike delivered Spain a historic 1-0 extra-time victory over defending champions Argentina, crushing Lionel Messi’s long-awaited hope of a second World Cup title in what is widely expected to be his final appearance on the sport’s biggest global stage.

A capacity crowd of 80,663 spectators, including former U.S. President Donald Trump, packed into the venue to watch the 39-year-old Argentine maestro attempt to cap his decorated career with one last major triumph. But Spain seized control of the match from the opening minutes, leaving Messi largely ineffective against a well-drilled Spanish side, while Argentina’s campaign was marred by repeated rough challenges and disciplinary issues.

The game was marked by persistent niggly fouls from the South American side from kickoff. As early as the 15th minute, Alexis Mac Allinger caught Spain’s Dani Olmo on the ankle with a high studs-up challenge that only earned a free kick, no yellow card from Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic. Minutes later, Spain’s Alex Baena escaped sanction after catching Messi with an elbow to the back. Nicolas Tagliafico also avoided a caution for a clumsy, raking challenge that left Spain’s teen star Lamine Yamal with a calf injury, before Lisandro Martinez eventually picked up a yellow card for a cynical foul on Mikel Oyarzabal. The Arsenal defender was forced off shortly after with an apparent injury, replaced by veteran Nicolas Otamendi.

The first half remained goalless, with Spain dominating possession and probing for openings but failing to convert their chances. A controversial 27-minute extended half-time show featuring global music superstars Madonna, Shakira and Justin Bieber did nothing to disrupt Spain’s momentum. The second half saw Spain ramp up the pressure, leaving Argentina pinned deep in their own half in full defensive siege mode.

Spain manager Luis de la Fuente turned to his bench to inject fresh attacking energy, bringing on Pedri and Ferran Torres for Fabian Ruiz and Oyarzabal. The substitutions immediately opened up more chances: Yamal’s clipped cross found Torres, whose downward header was pushed away by Argentina goalkeeper Emi Martinez; long-range strikes from Pedri and Pau Cubarsi forced awkward saves from Martinez, who somehow kept Argentina level through regulation time. Later substitutions Nico Williams and Mikel Merino added even more attacking thrust, but Argentina held on to force extra time, despite Enzo Fernandez picking up a yellow card for dissent in the 82nd minute. In the final moments of regulation, Fernandez was sent off for a brutal challenge on Cubarsi in stoppage time, leaving Argentina to play the entirety of extra time with 10 men.

Spain’s dominance continued in extra time. Williams saw a glancing header turned away by a brilliant one-handed save from Martinez, and minutes later he slid a low finish into the back of the net only for the goal to be ruled out for a marginal foul on Otamendi. The Spanish side did not let the controversial call derail them, however. A lofted cross from Pedro Porro to the back post found Williams, who nodded the ball into the path of Torres. The Barcelona striker crashed home a thumping finish to break the deadlock, sealing Spain’s second World Cup title following their maiden triumph in 2010.

Argentina launched one desperate late attack to force penalties, but Spain held firm to secure the win. Speaking after the match, Torres deflected praise for the winning goal, emphasizing the achievement belonged to the entire nation. “Ultimately, the goal belongs to 47 million people — not just me or the 26 players,” the match-winner said. “At the end of the day, all finals are tough; when you’re up against Messi, there’s a certain nervousness, but we always believed in our football and in ourselves.”

For Argentina, the defeat brings an end to their title defense and likely marks the close of Messi’s iconic World Cup career, leaving the soccer legend without the fairytale farewell he and millions of fans around the world had hoped for.

One of the most tightly contested World Cup finals in recent memory delivered a historic result Sunday, as Ferran Torres’ second extra-time goal gave Spain a hard-fought 1-0 victory over 10-player Argentina, securing La Roja’s second ever World Cup title at MetLife Stadium.

As European champions heading into the showpiece match, Spain controlled large swathes of play for nearly 120 minutes, dictating tempo through their signature short-passing possession style. But they ran into a brick wall of veteran, streetwise defending from the reigning champions Argentina, who packed their defensive block and repeatedly frustrated Spain’s attacking advances for most of regulation.

Standing out as Argentina’s unsung hero through 90 minutes was goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who pulled off a string of spectacular reflex saves to keep Spain off the scoreboard and preserve a scoreless deadlock heading into stoppage time. That balance of the match shifted dramatically, however, when Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez was shown a red card in second-half stoppage time, sent off after picking up a second yellow card for a reckless sliding tackle on Spanish defender Pau Cubarsi.

Down a player for the extra 30 minutes, Argentina dropped even deeper into a defensive formation, clinging to the goalless draw to force a penalty shootout. Spain continued to probe the backline, probing for gaps in the tired Argentine defense, and finally found the breakthrough they had chased for nearly two hours. Early in the second half of extra time, Nico Williams delivered a perfectly weighted knock-back into the path of substitute Ferran Torres, who slotted a crisp, clinical finish beyond Martinez’s reach to open the scoring.

The result capped off a dominant defensive campaign for Spain led by manager Luis de la Fuente: across seven matches en route to the title, La Roja conceded only a single goal, using their fluid, high-possession system to smother opposing attacks and grind out results. For Argentina, the loss ended a dramatic knockout-stage run that had captured global attention: Lionel Messi’s side clawed their way back from a near-elimination against Egypt to reach the semi-finals, then fought back from an early one-goal deficit to defeat England and book their spot in the final.

In a moment of high drama at Royal Birkdale on Sunday, 39-year-old New Zealand golfer Ryan Fox etched his name into golfing history, clinching the 154th British Open with a clutch birdie on the 18th hole to claim his first career major championship at 10 under par.

Ranked 56th in the world entering the tournament, Fox’s road to the Claret Jug was far from straightforward. After opening the first two rounds at level par, he sat in 52nd place and far outside most experts’ predictions of a winner. But a stunning Saturday round saw the Kiwi tie the all-time record for the lowest single-round score in men’s major championships, carding a 62 that catapulted him into contention heading into the final round.

As overnight leader Sam Burns of the U.S. and other top contenders collapsed under the intense pressure of championship Sunday, Fox stayed steady. He notched birdies on holes 13, 14, 16, and the decisive 18th, holding off a late charge from American Cameron Young to secure a one-stroke victory — the biggest win of his professional career by a wide margin.

“I don’t really know what to think at the moment,” Fox told reporters immediately after his win. “I spoke to my kids last night and they said ‘bring back a trophy’. I think this is a pretty cool one to bring back for them.”

Fox makes history as just the third New Zealander ever to win a men’s major championship, following Bob Charles’ 1964 British Open victory and Michael Campbell’s 2005 U.S. Open win. The son of former All Blacks rugby international Grant Fox, Fox’s underdog run capped a day defined by collapsing frontrunners and last-minute twists.

Overnight leader Sam Burns held a two-shot advantage heading into Sunday, but three consecutive bogeys on holes four through six erased his lead early, and he ultimately finished third at eight under par, falling short of his first major title. South Korea’s Kim Si-woo climbed within striking distance of his own first major with nine holes remaining, but imploded on the back nine with a four-over-par finish that knocked him out of contention.

Cameron Young, who began the day seven shots off the lead after a four-over back nine on Saturday, mounted a stunning late charge that nearly stole the title. The world number four shot a 29 on the front nine to climb into contention, carded additional birdies on the par-fives 14 and 17 to reach 10 under par alongside Fox heading into the final hole. But a wayward tee shot landed Young in a sand trap, and his second shot crashed into the bunker face, resulting in a costly bogey that left him one shot short of the playoff spot.

Defending champion Scottie Scheffler, the world’s top-ranked golfer, also mounted a early comeback charge but ultimately fell short, finishing tied for fourth at seven under par. Scheffler cut his six-shot opening deficit in half with three birdies in his first five holes, but bogeys on 13, 15, and 18 kept him from adding a fifth major title to his career in 2026.

Local favorite Tommy Fleetwood joined Scheffler in a tie for fourth, briefly giving British fans hopes of ending the country’s 34-year wait for a homegrown British Open champion. The world number nine climbed to within one shot of the lead after shooting three under par through eight holes, but three consecutive bogeys pushed him back before a late birdie-birdie finish lifted him into the top four.

Former major winner Rory McIlroy never mounted a serious contention for his seventh major title, finishing the tournament at one under par after a final-round 71. “Any time I got a little bit of momentum out there, I seemed to make a bogey,” said the world number two. “Just one of those weeks I couldn’t get it going.” American Bryson DeChambeau, who received a two-shot penalty after his second round on Friday, finished at four under par, with the penalty ultimately not affecting the final championship outcome.

In the days leading up to one of the most anticipated FIFA World Cup finals in recent hosting history, thousands of boisterous Argentine supporters have turned the heart of New York City back into a vibrant World Cup carnival, breathing new life into flagging local excitement ahead of Sunday’s blockbuster showdown with Spain at MetLife Stadium.

Local enthusiasm for the co-hosted tournament had slumped sharply after the United States men’s national team was eliminated from competition by Belgium on July 6. Compounding that dip in interest were a series of disruptive external challenges: a deadly Legionnaires’ disease outbreak, extreme volatile weather including fierce storms, widespread flooding, and poor air quality driven by smoke drifting from Canadian wildfires. Even the structure of the tournament contributed to waning buzz: as nations with large diaspora communities in New York, such as Mexico and Egypt, were knocked out round after round, casual local engagement faded steadily. Many native New Yorkers also left the city for summer weekend getaways ahead of the final, and the historic sky-high ticket prices for the match have put attendance out of reach for most fans. Secondary ticketing platform TickPick reports the average final ticket resells for $11,325, making it the most expensive single sporting event in U.S. history.

Despite these headwinds, the sea of blue and white striped Argentine jerseys that have flooded Manhattan’s tourist hubs, Penn Station, and the city’s unofficial World Cup gathering spot at Times Square have rekindled the global soccer spectacle’s energy in the Big Apple. Even two four-legged fans got in on the action, decked out in Argentina’s iconic national kit. Across midtown, Spanish supporters gathered in their own pockets around Madison Square Garden, one fan clutching a replica World Cup trophy in anticipation of kickoff.

Florencia Luzinin, a 30-year-old Argentine dentist who traveled to be part of the final buildup, summed up the emotion surrounding the match for many fans, noting this is widely expected to be Lionel Messi’s final World Cup appearance. “I’m very nervous because I love Argentina. It’s the final. It’s probably the last of Messi. So maybe it’s our day. I don’t know. We came across a few Spaniards but I don’t look at them,” she said.

Alessandra Pichler, a 27-year-old Spanish supporter, predicted a 3-1 win for her side and praised the U.S. hosting effort. “I think the US has done a great job hosting all the games I’ve been to. I’ve been very impressed,” she added.

Chip Parham, a New York-based film festival organizer who was gearing up to watch the match, said the drop-off in local interest after the U.S. exit followed a familiar pattern for international sporting events held on American soil. “I think that a reaction for people to lose interest in the World Cup when their country is eliminated is the same as any sporting event. In any city there is a decline in interest for any sporting event that doesn’t feature a local team. With the exception of the Super Bowl,” he explained.

Howie Ray, a 42-year-old New Yorker who shifted his support to England after the U.S. elimination, echoed that observation, noting that even with both finalists in place, local engagement remained muted outside of concentrated fan pockets in Midtown. “It’s been slightly overshadowed. I think there was fatigue after all the games of the group stage and then the US getting eliminated. Spain and Argentina also have relatively small immigrant populations in the city,” Ray said. “A lot of my friends have felt disconnected the entire tournament due to the tickets being unaffordable.”

For the thousands of fans who cannot secure or afford tickets to the 82,500-capacity MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, a wide range of alternative watch party options have popped up across the city. Global Citizen is hosting an all-star live concert in Central Park that will run simultaneously with the final, while the American Museum of Natural History is offering fans the unique chance to watch Messi’s bid for a fourth Argentine World Cup title alongside the institution’s iconic dinosaur exhibits.

Even with tepid widespread engagement outside of Midtown, the 2026 co-hosted World Cup has left a measurable mark on New York’s sporting landscape. New York City Comptroller Mark Levine confirmed that Gotham FC, the city’s professional women’s soccer team, recently drew the largest crowd ever recorded for a women’s sporting event in New York history, a bump organizers attribute to broader World Cup-fueled interest in soccer. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani also made headlines ahead of the final for watching England’s quarterfinal exit to Argentina with incarcerated people at the city’s Rikers Island jail facility.

Ahead of kickoff, city officials reaffirmed their commitment to making the World Cup accessible to all New Yorkers. “We said from the beginning that the World Cup belongs to New Yorkers. This summer, we proved it,” Mamdani said. As of Saturday, air quality at MetLife Stadium had returned to normal, clearing the final hurdle for Sunday’s historic showdown.

Hours before the kickoff of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina in New Jersey, the Spanish capital of Madrid has been transformed into a sea of the nation’s iconic red and yellow, with widespread excitement and national pride sweeping every corner of the city ahead of what is set to be one of the most tightly contested football matches in recent memory.

Sixteen years after the Spanish men’s national team claimed its first ever World Cup trophy in South Africa, millions of fans across Madrid have gathered in public squares, neighborhood bars, and dedicated public viewing sites, all holding their breath to see La Roja lift the trophy for a second time. From street-level public transit to major mobile network providers, every corner of the capital has embraced football fever to show support for the young Spanish squad.

Municipal buses running through Madrid’s busiest core routes now display Spanish flags on their front ends, turning a daily transit network that carries more than one million passengers into a moving, rolling celebration of the national team. Even the capital’s subway system has joined the excitement: one entire train car has been wrapped in the team’s signature bright red, decorated with oversized portraits of head coach Luis de la Fuente and standout players, including teenage breakout star Lamine Yamal, winger Nico Williams and midfield star Pedri. Fans frequently pause their commutes to snap photos of the customized train as it pulls into stations across the network.

Two large outdoor fan zones have been constructed to accommodate thousands of supporters eager to watch the match on giant projection screens, while a third viewing space has been set up inside Madrid’s iconic air-conditioned Movistar Arena, the city’s primary indoor venue for major concerts and elite sporting events. Local street vendors have reported record brisk sales of official and unofficial team shirts and national flags, while bars across the city have decorated both their outdoor terraces and indoor spaces in red and yellow to welcome packed crowds of fans.
Major national retailers including El Corte Ingles, Carrefour, Leroy Merlin and Ikea have gone a step further, announcing they would close all of their Spanish locations early to allow all their employees to head out and watch the match with friends and family. Even the country’s mobile telecommunications networks have joined the show of support: millions of Spanish users have noticed their carrier’s standard name on their device screens has been replaced with football-themed messages of national support. Telefonica customers now see “ConLaSeleccion” – meaning “With the National Team” – displayed on their devices, while other leading providers have rolled out their own custom pro-team messages.

For many fans, confidence in the young Spanish side runs high ahead of the match. Javier Fernandez, a 23-year-old supporter wrapped head-to-toe in a Spanish flag, shared his optimism with Agence France-Presse ahead of heading to a local bar to watch the game with his friends. “I think we’ve had an excellent tournament and we’re going to prove it against Argentina,” he said.

But not all fans are counting on an easy win for La Roja. Mercedes Rojas, a 50-year-old teacher who traveled from Toledo to Madrid with her husband to watch the match on one of the capital’s giant public screens, acknowledged the strength of the opposing Argentine squad. “Argentina are very good opponents,” she explained. “At this stage, having reached the final, both teams deserve to win.” If Spain does claim victory, Rojas says she plans to keep her celebration simple: “with a small beer and a tortilla.”

The 2024 Tour de France was thrown into a small but sharp controversy just hours before one of its most grueling mountain stages, when the race’s two leading overall contenders were pulled from their hotel beds for out-of-competition anti-doping testing in the dead of night.

Race leader Tadej Pogacar, the four-time Tour champion from Slovenia, and his closest challenger, two-time winner Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark, both confirmed the surprise visits from International Testing Agency (ITA) officials ahead of Sunday’s 15th stage. The 183.9-kilometer route, which winds from the Jura region to the high-altitude finish at Plateau de Solaison in the Alps, features four rated climbs and finishes with an 11-kilometer ascent averaging 9% gradient—one of the toughest tests riders will face in this year’s race.

Le Parisien first reported that both riders were specifically targeted for the unannounced overnight tests at their team hotels. Pogacar, who has held the overall leader’s yellow jersey for more than 10 days (requiring post-stage testing after each of those days of racing), told reporters that inspectors arrived at his room at 5 a.m., leaving him with just four hours of sleep before the stage start.

“It was a big shock to only get four hours of sleep,” Pogacar said. “I couldn’t fall back asleep after they left, so I spent the morning chilling out, listening to old Eminem tracks and making coffee—ended up over-caffeinated. I was ready to race when the start came, but there’s nothing nice about being woken up mid-dream.” He added that random out-of-competition morning tests are common during the Tour, but this was the first time officials had conducted testing in the middle of the night this year.

Vingegaard’s test came even earlier, with inspectors knocking at his door at 2 a.m., cutting his sleep short ahead of the high-stakes mountain stage. “The ITA didn’t let me get much sleep last night. I was sleeping really well until that knock,” Vingegaard told reporters. “Don’t get me wrong—it’s good that they test, we all support anti-doping work. But when it disrupts your sleep and can impact your performance out on the road, that doesn’t make sense. It has to be equal for all riders, but getting woken up at two in the morning is never pleasant.” The entire testing process took 40 minutes, Vingegaard said, and while he felt physically able to race, it was far from an ideal preparation.

Richard Plugge, managing director of Vingegaard’s Visma-Lease a Bike team, told Dutch cycling outlet Wielerflits that multiple teams had riders targeted for night-time testing, though he did not share further details. Plugge acknowledged that rigorous anti-doping oversight is critical to maintaining the sport’s integrity, but admitted the timing of the tests was “unpleasant” for fatigued riders.

Not all team members took the disruption as calmly as the two overall contenders. Matteo Jorgenson, Vingegaard’s American teammate, slammed the timing as a major snub to rider welfare. “I was told to keep my mouth shut about this, but this is a complete lack of respect for the riders,” Jorgenson told reporters. “Recovery is everything for us, especially between two of the hardest mountain stages of the entire Tour. To get woken up at 2 a.m. right before one of them? That makes me absolutely furious.”

Heading into the 15th stage, Pogacar holds a commanding 4.5-minute overall lead over Vingegaard, with five other riders sitting within 1 minute 20 seconds of the Dane in the general classification. Both top contenders took the start on Sunday despite the disrupted night of sleep, as the race continues its push toward the Paris finish.