Spain Lifts World Cup Trophy; Messi in Tears After Defeat

[Anchor]

In the final of the North and Central American World Cup, the "Invincible Armada" Spain defeated Argentina after a grueling extra-time battle to claim the championship. This marks Spain's second World Cup title, coming 16 years after their victory in 2010.

Reporter Yu Byeongmin has the story.

[Reporter]

The match pitted Spain, which had maintained a 37-game unbeaten streak with perfect teamwork, against the defending champion Argentina, led by Lionel Messi.

In the highly anticipated final for the championship trophy, Spain seized control of the game from the start, dominating the midfield with intense high-pressing.

Starting with Lamine Yamal's first shot in the 5th minute, followed by a left-footed attempt from Mikel Oyarzabal and a long-range strike from Marc Cucurella, Spain dominated the field. In contrast, Argentina failed to record a single shot and faced a setback when defender Lisandro Martinez was substituted due to an injury late in the first half.

While a spectacular halftime show featured BTS performing "Dynamite," Spain continued to relentlessly pressure Argentina in the second half, only to be repeatedly denied by goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez's impressive saves.

The momentum shifted decisively in stoppage time of the second half when Argentina's Enzo Fernandez was sent off after receiving a second yellow card.

With a numerical advantage in extra time, Spain suffered a stroke of bad luck when Nico Williams' goal in the 5th minute of the first half of extra time was disallowed due to a foul by Mikel Merino. However, they finally broke the deadlock in the 1st minute of the second half of extra time.

After a cross from the opposite flank was headed down by Nico Williams, Ferran Torres fired a thunderous left-footed shot into the back of the net and roared in celebration.

Argentina attempted a late counterattack with their first shot of the match, but it yielded no results. Spain secured a 1-0 victory, claiming their second title in 16 years since the 2010 South Africa tournament.

Spain extended their unbeaten streak to 38 games, the most for any European nation, signaling the dawn of a new era for the "Invincible Armada."

Messi, who had delivered a brilliant performance throughout the tournament but remained silent in the final, was seen in tears after failing to secure back-to-back championships.

Co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, this North and Central American World Cup, which featured 48 nations for the first time in history, concluded its long journey with Spain's victory.

(Video Editing: Oh Young-taek)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.