Ferran Torres delivered Spain the winning goal at the World Cup with a play made possible by two of the team’s best players and two who substituted into the final against Argentina on Sunday.
Until that point, Spain put 11 shots on net and could not crack opposing goalkeeper Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez.
“We had many chances,” Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said. “But Dibu was nothing short of exceptional.”
The teams had played 105 minutes, and Spain looked to get a big advantage when Enzo Fernández was sent off in regulation stoppage time with his second yellow card.
Still, playing 11 men against 10, Spain was unable to capitalize on any chances through the first half of extra time, including a disallowed goal when the referee ruled that Mikel Merino stepped on one of Argentina defender Nicolás Otamendi’s feet prior to Nico Williams putting the ball into the net.
The buildup to the goal
With the score 0-0 coming out of the midway point of extra time, Spain got the ball at midfield. Argentina, playing shorthanded, put up very little resistance.
Pau Cubarsí passed the ball up the field to Marc Cucurella, then Eric García and then up to Martín Zubimendi, who found Yamal on the right. Yamal put a shot on net very early in the game and also had another earlier scoring chance, earning the praise of teammates and his coach for being one of the best on the field at 19 years old.
“He’s played great football, a football that will help him to mature and be even a greater footballer than what he is,” de la Fuente said. “He’s really sacrificed for the collective good, and this is very important in our squad.” Yamal got the ball to Pedro Porro, who touched the ball almost as much as anyone else in the final.
Porro gets the ball deep for Nico WilliamsThis was the most important of Porro’s 130 touches, and he made it count. His right-footed cross into the box almost went out of play past the far post.
Instead of going past the goal line and out of play, Williams, who entered in the 75th minute, headed the ball back toward Torres.
It was at that moment that de la Fuente flashed back to the goal Andrés Iniesta scored in extra time to help Spain win the 2010 World Cup.
“That picture, that image is very vividly on my mind,” de la Fuente said.
Torres, who came on just past the hour mark, connected perfectly with his left foot. The shot, Spain’s 20th of the match to none for Argentina at the time, sailed past a couple of defenders and Martínez to give Spain a 1-0 lead in the 106th minute.
“I think at the end of the day, it was a goal scored by 47 million people,” Torres said. “I feel very happy. I was heavily criticized during the World Cup, but I think it was written in destiny and things. But I always have that chance, that option to continue, and God gives it to those who believe it, who deserve it most.” The Barcelona star kicked down the corner flag as he was mobbed by teammates and fans celebrated around him.
“I’m so happy for him to have scored this goal,” de la Fuente said. “He will make it into history. He has already made history and he deserves it.” De la Fuente said Spain’s players and coaches tried to keep their cool knowing the match was not over.
Torres nearly scored again but was offside, and Spain survived corner opportunities by Argentina to knock off the defending champions and win its second World Cup title.