More than 1.5 billion people around the world tuned in to the FIFA World Cup 2026 final on Sunday, which featured Spain and defending champion Argentina. After a long, hard-fought match that went into overtime, Spain striker Ferrán Torres scored in the 106th minute to secure a 1-0 victory for his country.
After the match, however, Torres did not take the glory for himself but instead seized the opportunity to honor his nation and thank God: “The goal is the least important thing. Right now, all I want is to grab that trophy and squeeze it as hard as I can, because I believe it represents the dream of 47 million people we were representing on the pitch today, because I think we deserved it and we gave it our all.”
“Thank God, He always gives me the strength to keep going,” added Torres. A few days before the final, he had spoken about the importance of God in his life: “I have a cross and an image of the Virgin Mary; ultimately, I think having such strong faith gives me great support, it is something very important to me.”
Torres is not the only vocal Catholic on the Spanish team. Head coach Luis de la Fuente and Spain captain and tournament MVP Rodrigo Hernández, among others, have also spoken openly of their faith. Before Spain’s semifinal against France, Luis de la Fuente said that he prays every day, “but not because I’m at a World Cup or because I’m trying to get a result. I give thanks every day.”
Click here to learn more about the faith of the Spanish team.