The stars came for the show. The fans came for the game. Cruise found out the hard way which one mattered. Spain settled the rest on the field.
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Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium. More than 70,000 fans watched the extra-time thriller. Ferran Torres scored the winning goal in the 105th minute of extra time. The win gave Spain its second World Cup title and its first since 2010.
The match stayed scoreless through 90 minutes and into extra time. Argentina’s Enzo Fernández was sent off with a red card in stoppage time for a reckless foul. Spain took full advantage. Torres, who had come on as a substitute, scored less than a minute into the second half of extra time. He finished a cross from Nico Williams, who had headed in a pass from Pedro Porro.
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Spain outshot Argentina 20 to 2 and forced Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez into a World Cup final record 11 saves. The loss likely marks the end of Lionel Messi’s World Cup career. Messi, Argentina’s longtime captain, was hoping to defend the title his team won in 2022.
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Before kickoff, Tom Cruise took the field to deliver a speech as part of the closing ceremony. He is currently promoting his upcoming film “Digger.” According to Variety, Cruise proclaimed that the tournament had brought the world together and called it a celebration of unity.
The speech did not land well with everyone in the stadium. Many fans found the monologue drawn-out and began chanting for their teams before it ended. Some viewers online criticized Cruise for repeatedly calling the sport “football” instead of “soccer,” a choice that irritated some American fans watching at home.
Cruise wasn’t the only entertainer on hand. He appeared alongside performances from Post Malone with Swae Lee, Jennifer Hudson singing the national anthem, and Robbie Williams, Laura Pausini and Nicole Scherzinger performing the World Cup anthem “Desire.” The tournament’s first-ever halftime show featured Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira, BTS and the Muppets.
President Donald Trump attended the final with First Lady Melania Trump. He was booed loudly during the event, continuing a pattern from earlier in the tournament. The boos reportedly came after a rendition of the national anthem, before Cruise took the field.
Despite the reception, Trump presented the 18-karat gold World Cup trophy to Spain’s players after the match. He shared a VIP suite with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum, Canadian prime minister Mark Carney, Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez and Spanish football federation president Rafael Louzán.
The final drew a long list of celebrities. Attendees included Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Matt Damon and his wife Luciana, Timothée Chalamet with girlfriend Kylie Jenner, David and Victoria Beckham, Serena Williams, Mick Jagger and Dua Lipa. The Muppets also made an appearance at the event.
Cruise spent time before the match with Sesame Street characters Elmo and Cookie Monster. He also took part in an earlier ceremony honoring David Beckham, who received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Cruise spoke at that event too, highlighting Beckham’s career.
The tournament as a whole drew massive viewership. Organizers point to a mix of factors behind the ratings surge, including the presence of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar, who may have been playing their final World Cups, alongside younger stars like Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Lamine Yamal. The North American setting, spanning the United States, Mexico and Canada, also drew new audiences to the sport.
Not every moment was celebrated. Cruise’s opening speech became a target of online mockery within hours. Clips of fans drowning him out with chants spread quickly on social media, with some users questioning why a film star was given a central role in the ceremony.
The tournament began June 11 with 48 teams competing across three host countries and 16 cities. It ended Sunday with Spain lifting the trophy for the second time in its history, following its first title win in 2010.
For Messi, the outcome closes out what may be his last World Cup appearance. He has hinted at retirement from the tournament before, including after Argentina’s 2022 win over France, so nothing is fully confirmed. He would be 43 by the next World Cup in 2030.
Spain’s win also keeps alive one World Cup trend. No country has won back-to-back titles since Brazil in 1958 and 1962. Spain will get a chance to try in 2030, as Argentina did after its own 2022 victory.
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