Spain clinch second World Cup crown in extra-time thriller
Spain claimed their second World Cup trophy this summer by edging past Lionel Messi's Argentina in the 2026 final. Ferran Torres struck the decisive goal 16 minutes into extra time to put La Roja ahead, yet the title remained in the balance until the dying seconds.
With Spain clinging to a 1-0 advantage in the 120th minute, Messi carved open the defence with an outside-of-the-boot pass to Giuliano Simeone. The Atletico Madrid winger squared the ball across the face of goal, but Cubarsi reacted fastest to beat Marco Senesi to the delivery and deny Argentina an equaliser.
Cubarsi details split-second reaction to thwart Senesi
Reflecting on the decisive sequence in an interview with The Athletic, the Barcelona centre-back explained how he read the danger before clearing the cross off the line.
“I remember Messi with the ball by the edge of the box and Simeone making a run behind our back line,” Cubarsi told The Athletic. “There was a little disconnection, but as soon as Messi made the pass, I took a quick glance at my surroundings to orient myself.
“I spotted Merino next to me and Senesi trying to attack the space between Merino and myself. I realised Senesi was in a dangerous position and, as soon as Simeone started the motion to cross the ball, I knew I had to jump to Senesi with everything I had in me and let God decide what would happen.
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“I kicked the ball out and fell to the pitch, totally exhausted. I kept my head buried on the grass, not even looking back. I realised there was no crazy noise in the stands and then raised one of my eyes to check our own goal. The ball was not in the back of the net, and I exhaled in relief. My first thought was: ‘OK, one less action to defend before becoming a world champion’.”
Red card collision and major honours cap rapid rise
Earlier in extra time, the 19-year-old was also at the centre of a flashpoint in the 93rd minute when a heavy challenge saw Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez sent off. Explaining how he played through the pain barrier, Cubarsi said: “There was a loose ball, 50-50 tackle and both of us went full-on. I got to the ball first and then got flipped around in the air, but I don’t even remember it. I found out about it as soon as my body hit the ground. When I was in the air, I felt like my mind was floating, too. I hurt my wrist a bit, but in a World Cup final, adrenaline keeps you going through anything.”
Having prioritised team success over individual acclaim, Cubarsi was astonished to be named the tournament's best young player immediately after the final whistle. The accolade adds to a remarkable spell in which he has also won the Golden Boy award, earned 24 senior Spain caps and made 141 appearances for Barcelona since his 2024 debut.
Nations League top spot on the line against England
Attention now shifts back to international duty as Spain prepare to face England on Sunday night on the final matchday of the Nations League group stage.
La Roja enter the decisive encounter sitting at the summit of Group A3, holding a crucial three-point cushion over England as they look to protect their advantage and seal top spot.