Maximum value: Spain defeats four top-10 world teams in a row, sets a record with 38 unbeaten matches, and 65-year-old coach breaks the curse.

In the final held on July 20, Beijing time, Spain edged defending champion Argentina 1-0 with an extra-time goal by Ferran Torres, lifting the World Cup trophy for the first time in 16 years. This is Spain's second World Cup championship, matching the achievements of France and Uruguay.

In this World Cup, Spain started with an unexpected draw against debutants Cape Verde. However, after failing to secure an opening win, they steadily improved in the following games. They won seven consecutive matches to claim the title. Along the way, Spain eliminated four FIFA top-10 teams in the knockout stage: Portugal (ranked 7th), Belgium (8th), France (3rd), and Argentina (1st), making the championship exceptionally prestigious.

After winning the title, Spain also set several remarkable records. First, they have gone 38 consecutive matches without a loss in regular time (29 wins, 9 draws), breaking the longest unbeaten streak for a European team previously held by Italy. Spain's last regular-time defeat was in March 2024, a 1-0 friendly loss to Colombia.

Second, Spain conceded only one goal in eight matches, setting a new record for the fewest goals allowed by a World Cup champion (the previous record was two goals, shared by Spain in 2010, Italy in 2006, and France in 1998).

Additionally, 65-year-old Spain coach Luis de la Fuente broke a "century-old World Cup jinx," becoming the first champion coach over 60 years old in World Cup history. Previously, the oldest champion coach was 59-year-old Vicente del Bosque, who led Spain to victory in 2010 at the age of 59 years, 6 months, and 19 days. Now, de la Fuente has ended the 96-year-old streak.