Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup 2026 – Final – Spain v Argentina – New York/New Jersey Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, U.S. – July 19, 2026 Spain’s Ferran Torres lifts the trophy with teammates after winning the World Cup REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
EAST RUTHERFORD — This time four years ago, Spain’s World Cup hero Ferran Torres was lost.
After completing a move from English giant Manchester City to the legendary Spanish club Barcelona, the striker’s form dipped drastically, and he found himself often benched in what he described as “a bottomless pit.”
“I could not see a way out,” he said back in 2023. “…I lost my confidence. Everything was affecting me.”
He began seeing a psychologist and, through tireless work on himself, found a way out.
“Seeing [a psychologist] will become increasingly normalized in football,” Torres continued. “…It’s been painful, but at the same time it has been one of the best experiences because now I feel stronger.”
2026 WORLD CUP FINAL: Ferran Torres the hero as Spain defeats Argentina 1-0 in extra time
He regained his footing, scoring 11 goals in 2023-24 and then 19 the following season, which helped him return to the Spanish national team. He scored 16 goals in La Liga play for Barcelona this past season and got the call to represent La Roja at the World Cup, albeit as a substitute behind Mikel Oyarzabal.
But Sunday at MetLife Stadium has changed everything. With Spain unable to break down a tenacious Argentina in the World Cup Final, manager Luis de la Fuente turned to him in the 61st minute — a move that paid off in spades, and etched Torres’ name in the history books.
The 26-year-old scored the match-winner in the 106th minute, delivering Spain a second-ever World Cup title in a 1-0 triumph and ending Argentina’s reign as defending champions. A cross from Pedro Porro was nodded down brilliantly by Nico Williams on the left touchline back into the path of an on-rushing Torres, who, with his left foot, cannoned his only goal of the tournament into the roof of the net.
Torres made a beeline to the left corner flag, kicked it down, and was mobbed by his teammates — an unforgettable destination to cap off a journey not many pro athletes were willing to take.
“I think that at the end of the day, life is fair,” de la Fuente said of Torres. “Those people who are committed and fight and bounce back even in hardship, they always get something back. I’m so happy that he scored this goal. He has made history, and he’s deserved it.”
For more on Ferran Torres and the World Cup, visit AMNY.com
