Spain are world champions for the second time, beating Argentina 1-0 after extra time. They dominated for 90 minutes without finding the net; Argentina, reduced to 10 men in stoppage time, never managed a shot at all. Ferran Torres finally struck in the 106th minute, and after the final whistle, a brawl earned Argentina a second red card.
Argentina ended their reign as champions with a brawl. Leandro Paredes grabbed Eric García by the throat and clashed with Gavi before being pulled away, and Vinčić reached for the red card a second time.
The numbers around this Spain side keep demanding new pages in the record book. A single goal conceded across eight matches by Charles De Ketelaere is the fewest ever by a World Cup winner. The unbeaten run stretches to 38 games, one clear of Italy's record. De la Fuente, at 65, is the oldest coach to lift the trophy.
"This team and this wonderful fanbase deserve everything. We had a date with destiny and we wanted to make it count," said Spain's coach.
His team hold the European and world titles at once, a double last managed by the great side of 2008-2012. Lamine Yamal, 19, owns both before his 20th birthday. The individual honours followed the collective one. Rodri took the Golden Ball, Simón the Golden Glove, and the 19-year-old Cubarsí was named best young player of the tournament.
"So much pride," de la Fuente said afterwards. "This is a World Cup final, even against ten men at the end we had to suffer. But we like to suffer, and we were prepared for everything."
Messi failed to raise another World Cup trophy and also missed the opportunity to win the Golden Boot, which went to Kylian Mbappé. His record for most goals scored at the final tournament was also overthrown by the French captain. Mbappé scored 22 goals in total, one more than Messi.
At 39 years old, Messi shed tears as he collected his runner-up medal in front of the Argentina end. His coach did not dress it up. "I feel sadness," Lionel Scaloni said, "but knowing that we left everything out there."
De la Fuente already has Spain's next target. "The players have asked me what we have left to win," he said. "Together we've figured out that it's the next match in September against England in the Nations League because this team is tireless."
