FIFA World Cup 2026: 38 and counting: Spain are world champions and the greatest unbeaten team in football history

pain celebrated a famous success as they secured their second World Cup title with a narrow 1-0 victory over Argentina, thanks to a second-half goal from Ferran Torres. The victory highlighted Spain’s astonishing 38-match unbeaten run, breaking Italy’s long-standing record.(Photo/ANI) They came to New Jersey as history makers. They left as world champions.Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in a thrilling, dramatic World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on Sunday night, with Ferran Torres’ second-half strike separating the sides to secure Spain’s second World Cup title, 16 years after their first in South Africa in 2010.But the trophy wasn’t the only piece of history that was made on Sunday night. By winning the final, Spain extended their unbeaten streak to 38 consecutive matches in all competitions, breaking Italy’s record of 37 matches and becoming the team with the longest unbeaten streak in the history of European and South American international football. No team from any continent has ever gone undefeated.Having endured a tough tournament by his own high standards before this final, Torres scored the most important goal of his career. In the 67th minute, the Manchester City striker intercepted a perfectly balanced pass from Pedri on the edge of Argentina’s penalty area, took one touch and slotted it past Emiliano Martínez into the bottom corner. Packed with red and yellow, MetLife Stadium erupted.Argentina pushed. Lionel Messi, playing the final match of his international career, repeatedly drove forward, created chances and demanded the ball as always. But Spain’s defence, six clean sheets in six previous matches, the best defensive record in World Cup history, was not to be cracked on the biggest night of all. Unai Simón produced two crucial saves in the last ten minutes to keep a clean sheet and send the trophy to Spain.For Messi, it is a painful end to a career of extraordinary beauty. He finished the 2026 World Cup with eight goals and four assists, one of the greatest individual tournament statistics in World Cup history. But Argentina’s second title in a row was not to be.Unbeaten in 38 matches, European champions in 2024 and now world champions in 2026, Spain own the record books entirely.The Italian record lasted for five years. Spain broke it on the biggest stage of all with the World Cup trophy in hand.