Spain won the World Cup final on Sunday, overcoming a physical and structured Argentina side in a match that stretched into extra time, according to the Guardian. The winning goal came from two substitutes, Nico Williams and Ferran Torres, who combined not by transforming the contest but by giving it what it needed at the right moment.

As the game built into the second half of extra time, it was clear Argentina hoped to make Spain suffer. Every challenge, the Guardian reported, left no stud unshown, with Lionel Scaloni’s side aggressive but organised enough to withstand sustained Spanish pressure.

Argentina’s defenders worked to deny striker Mikel Oyarzabal his usual lanes of service. As a result, Spain took eleven of their 20 attempts from beyond the box, a sign of how tightly the central spaces were being policed.

The turning point in Spain’s approach came in the 62nd minute, when manager Luis de la Fuente introduced his first two substitutes from the bench. From that point, according to the Guardian, Spain adapted repeatedly to find new avenues of attack.

Spain’s task shifted again when Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez was sent off near the end of normal time. Playing against ten men, Spain continued to adjust their structure, eventually finding the breakthrough through the combination of Williams and Torres.

The Guardian framed the victory as a study in adaptability, with Spain repeatedly reshaping their attack to solve the problems Argentina posed rather than relying on a single fixed plan.