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Sixteen years and two unrelated substitutes named Torres separate Spain's last two World Cup–winning goals. The gap between them explains this team better than either goal does on its own. Thirty-nine seconds into the second period of extra time, a loose ball dropped awkwardly in the Argentina box, and Ferran Torres didn't wait for it to bounce twice. One touch, left foot, off the underside of the bar. MetLife Stadium came apart. Somewhere behind him, Lionel Messi turned away

Pau Cubarsí has started every minute of Spain's run to the World Cup final, posted passing accuracy no defender at this tournament has matched, and broken a clean sheet record held by Paolo Maldini. He is 19. Almost nobody is talking about him. When Spain beat France 2-0 in the semi-final, the conversation immediately turned to who had scored. Mikel Merino got both goals. Lamine Yamal made the chance for the second with a pass that skipped through France's defensive line in t

Merino's stoppage-time strike sends Spain into the World Cup quarter-finals, ending Cristiano Ronaldo's likely final World Cup campaign in heartbreaking fashion. It was 91 minutes and 23 seconds on the clock when the ball ended up at the feet of Mikel Merino, who was standing at the perimeter of Portugal's penalty box. He had just come into the match five minutes and forty seconds prior. Before him, Torres had just been substituted in a minute before him and made the final p