Spain lifts World Cup trophy in record-breaking tournament

By Brian Otieno — 20 July 2026 — 3 min read

Historic World Cup concludes with Spanish triumph

The 2026 World Cup has concluded, with Spain securing the trophy after a final match against Argentina. This edition of the tournament saw Spain claim their second title. The competition featured 104 matches across 16 host cities and three continents, with a total of 308 goals scored throughout the event.

The tournament set new records, becoming the largest FIFA World Cup ever with 48 teams participating. It also attracted a record attendance of over six million fans across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The expanded format contributed to the highest number of goals ever scored in a single World Cup.

Individual accolades and notable performances

Several individual awards were presented following the final. France’s Kylian Mbappé was named the winner of the Golden Boot, scoring 10 goals and becoming the World Cup’s all-time top scorer with 22 goals. Mbappé also became the first player to win the Golden Boot in consecutive World Cups.

Spain’s Pau Cubarsí received the Best Young Player award, becoming only the second defender to earn this honor. Unai Simón was recognized with the Golden Glove for best goalkeeper, and midfielder Rodri won the Golden Ball for player of the tournament. Despite their loss in the final, Argentina’s Lionel Messi achieved a milestone by becoming the all-time leading assist provider in FIFA World Cup history with 12 assists.

Other notable achievements included Cristiano Ronaldo becoming the first footballer to score in six different FIFA World Cups. Additionally, Cape Verde, the smallest country by population to reach the knockout stage, produced one of the tournament’s biggest surprises. Curaçao also made history as the smallest nation to play in the competition, securing a draw against Ecuador in the group stages.

Memorable moments and controversies

The tournament featured several memorable matches, including England’s effort against Mexico in the Estadio Azteca, which saw them reach the quarterfinals despite being down to 10 men. Cape Verde also drew against Uruguay with a score of 2-2 and pushed defending champion Argentina to extra-time in the Round of 32. A notable comeback was Argentina’s 3-2 victory over Egypt in the Round of 16, which included brilliant goals and a comeback led by Lionel Messi.

The Best Goal award went to Cape Verde’s Sidny Lopes Cabral for his strike against Argentina in the knockout stages. The goal, scored in extra-time, was celebrated with an iconic moment as Cabral ran into the crowd. The Biggest Upset was attributed to Paraguay for their victory over Germany in the Round of 32, which they secured after a penalty shootout.

The tournament also had its share of controversies. Issues included Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan being denied entry into the United States, and the treatment of the Iranian national team, which had to change training bases and travel extensively between Mexico and the US. The most significant controversy involved a red card decision for USA star Folarin Balogun and subsequent attempts to overturn it.

The tournament also saw the introduction of championship rings for the winning squad and coaching staff of Spain, a tradition adopted from American sports. Argentina, however, entered the record books for an unfortunate reason, becoming the team with the most red cards in FIFA World Cup final history after another dismissal in the 2026 final.

Ferrán Torres, who scored the only goal in the final for Spain, expressed feeling the support of his entire nation. The Barcelona attacker’s goal brought joy to the country after what had been a challenging tournament for him personally, having been benched after starting against Cape Verde.

Source: cnn.com