Turkey has reacted with a wave of congratulations and praise for Spain after the Spanish national team won their second World Cup yesterday, beating Argentina 1–0 in extra time in the final played in the United States. The decisive goal came in the 106th minute courtesy of Ferran Torres, in a final clearly dominated by the side managed by Luis de la Fuente, who were the better side throughout the match and clearly deserved the victory for their fine play and sportsmanship.
Spain had their clearest chance to score in the first half in the 5th minute through Lamine Yamal, although they failed to convert it, and before half-time Rodri and Cucurella also tried their luck without success. Argentina, for their part, failed to manage a single shot on target during the first 45 minutes. In the second half, Spain maintained control of the match, but saves by the Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez kept the Albiceleste in the game and forced extra time.
The Argentine side, reduced to ten men following the sending-off of Enzo Fernández in the 90+3 minute, went into extra time a man down, having spent the previous 90 minutes barely able to cope with the Spanish side. It was in the 106th minute that a Spanish attack down the right flank ended with a cross that Nico Williams flicked on with his head towards the far post, where Ferran Torres fired home a powerful shot to make it 1–0, sealing the victory.
Lionel Scaloni: “Spain was better, that’s the truth”
The statistics reflected the absolute dominance of Spain: the Spanish team finished the match with 20 shots, 12 of which were on target, whilst Argentina managed just two shots in the 120 minutes and neither was on target. Possession stood at 65% for Spain compared to 35% for Argentina, whilst the Spaniards completed 762 successful passes to their opponents’ 358. At the end of the match, the Argentine manager himself, Lionel Scaloni, acknowledged to the media that “Spain was better, that’s the truth”.
With this victory over Argentina, Spain have won their second World Cup title, following their triumph in 2010. The team conceded just one goal throughout the entire tournament and scored 14 to lift the trophy. Lionel Messi also made history by playing in the final at the age of 39 years and 25 days, becoming the oldest player to feature in a World Cup final, although he was unable to fulfil his dream of bidding farewell to his final World Cup with the title.
“Spain did not concede a single chance to Argentina in the final”
Columnists Uğur Meleke and Güntekin Onay from the Turkish newspaper Hürriyet analysed the Spanish victory and the performance of both teams in separate articles published today. Turkish sports commentator Güntekin Onay wrote: “Spain controlled the entire match. De la Fuente’s team is the closest thing to a club side in this World Cup. With a young and well-established squad, led by captain Rodri, they not only control the game and attack, but also defend perfectly.”
“They didn’t concede a single chance to a team like Argentina in the final. Spain have such a solid game plan that they reached the final without giving a star-studded, athletic and talented team like France a chance,” added Onay.
On Ferran Torres, he stated: “Ferran Torres, who came on in the closing minutes, possesses the qualities of a centre-forward that Spain needed most, which allowed him to create chances and score the goal in extra time. In fact, if Spain had had a world-class striker with this style of play, they would have settled last night’s final much earlier,” wrote the Turkish sports expert, who also maintained that “Spain is, without a doubt, one of the best footballing nations in the world”.
“De La Fuente is the star of this World Cup”
For his part, Uğur Meleke wrote that the final pitted “the most successful European side against the most successful South American side of the century”, highlighting that Spain “never relinquished possession. In the final, we barely saw Messi because Argentina practically needed a second ball just to be able to play. Yesterday, Argentina finished the first 90 minutes, playing eleven against eleven, without managing a single shot. Spain achieved some record-breaking statistics: 15–0 in shots and 9–1 in corners”.
“People are comparing this Spanish starting eleven with the team that won the 2010 World Cup. I must admit that I wouldn’t include a single player from this team in that 2010 squad. That was an extraordinary team featuring Xavi, Iniesta, Xabi, Puyol, Busquets, Ramos, Piqué, Villa, Fàbregas, Torres and Pedro. But this 2026 team has a manager who doesn’t make anyone look like a star and, at the same time, makes everyone shine as if they were. His players don’t shine individually, but their play dazzles,” commented Meleke.
“It was the best performance by a manager I have ever seen in a World Cup final. I wish the ‘Ballon d’Or’ award could one day be given to a manager… I think De la Fuente, the star of this tournament, should have received that recognition,” he concluded in his column.
Thousands of Turks showed their support for Spain on social media
But the praise for the Spanish national football team from Türkiye was not limited to the press. On social media, numerous Turkish citizens openly expressed their support for Spain before and after the World Cup final.
This sympathy towards Spain is not new, although during this World Cup it has grown significantly due to the support shown by the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for Argentina, Messi’s own sympathies for the Israeli government, and the images of Lamine Yamal waving the Palestinian flag.
On the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the hashtag #DünyaKupası (#WorldCup in Turkish) became a trending topic and the platform was flooded with videos and messages of support and congratulations directed at Spain and its national team for winning the World Cup.
Many Turkish users also criticised Argentina’s poor performance and, in particular, the serious altercation that took place after the final whistle, when several Argentine players provoked a brawl with the Spanish players who were celebrating their victory on the pitch at MetLife Stadium in New York.
Nahuel Molina struck Rodri, Leandro Paredes grabbed Eric García by the neck and, together with Thiago Almada, brought Gavi to the ground when he rushed in to defend his team-mate. And these were not the only acts of violence and unsporting behaviour committed by the Argentine side during the final. Paradoxically, whilst the brawl was taking place, other posts by Turkish users on X showed Lamine Yamal praying and thanking God for the victory.
Even the well-known Turkish businessman and engineer Selçuk Bayraktar, chairman of the drone manufacturer Baykar, wrote on his official account: “I wholeheartedly congratulate the Spanish national team, champions of the #WorldCup2026, and their fans.”
Furthermore, the celebrations following Spain’s victory over Argentina and their second World Cup title were not confined to Turkey. As shown by Turkish social media accounts, there were also celebrations in Palestine and even in Gaza.
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Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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