Argentina ties unwanted World Cup record after final defeat to Spain

Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in extra time on July 19 to claim their second FIFA World Cup title. Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the 106th minute. But the real story isn’t who won. It’s how thoroughly Argentina failed to threaten.

Argentina recorded zero shots on target during 90 minutes of regulation time in a World Cup final. That’s not a typo. An entire half, then another, and the reigning champions couldn’t force the Spanish goalkeeper into a single save during normal play. It ties an unwanted record that no team wants their name next to in the history books.

A final defined by what didn’t happen

Argentina’s goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was the only reason this match reached extra time at all. He made 11 saves across the full 120 minutes, setting a new record for the most saves by a keeper in a World Cup final.

Spain, meanwhile, looked like a team that had been building toward this moment for years. The victory extended their unbeaten run to 38 consecutive matches, surpassing Italy’s previous record of 37 games without defeat. Spain also kept seven clean sheets throughout the tournament.

Torres, who came up with the decisive goal in the 106th minute, delivered when it mattered most.

The Messi question and the end of an era

The elephant in the stadium, of course, was Lionel Messi. At this stage of his career, the July 19 final is widely believed to have been his last appearance on the international stage.

Messi already has a World Cup winner’s medal from 2022 in Qatar. But losing a final without your team registering a shot on target during regulation is a rough way to close the book on an international career that spans decades.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.