On Sunday afternoon, ahead of the final match for the 2026 World Cup, all the attention was on Lionel Messi. Would perhaps the greatest soccer player of all time end his career with a second-straight World Cup victory?
The world waited to find out.
If Messi was going to do it, he would have to beat a powerful Spanish team, however. The squad has displayed one of the stingiest defenses the tournament has ever seen. But if anyone could take it town, it would be Messi and his Argentinian brethren.
Throughout the 2026 event, Argentina has proven its mettle. Like the New York Knicks franchise that won the recent NBA title, the boys in powder blue have often come back in the final minutes or in extra time of the World Cup to win. (Sorry, England.)
But it was going to take all of that luck and then some to knock off Spain on Sunday.
The Spanish team had its own roster of big names to contend with. While many touted the roster’s balance, there were giants on the field like Mikel Merino, Nico Williams and Rodri.
Despite all these marquee players dominating the headlines, though, it was one who came into the big game off the bench who ended up deciding it all.
Let me back up: While many prognosticators predicted that Spain would win on Sunday, Argentina had other plans. They weren’t going out easy. By the end of regulation, the game was tied 0-0. When the match went into overtime, it was still tied after the first period.
Remarkably, though, it was backup CF Ferran Torres, who came into the game in minute 62 who finally broke the tie. It was deep into extra time, when he connected on a goal in the first minute of the second period.
“I didn’t think too much,” Torres said after the game, commenting on his achievement. “I just saw the ball coming to me and I just shoot with all the power of the Spanish people.”
It was Torres’ only score in the entire 2026 World Cup.
And it sure did come at the right now.
In a game centered on stars, it was a bench player who made the winning play—and quote. His life will never be the same going forward. Just imagine the photo of that core above his mantle.
But what would have happened if Torres had balked at his chance to enter the match? What would have happened had he not been paying close attention to the action, or if he had wilted at his big chance?
History wouldn’t have been made.
Watching Torres on the field on Sunday made me think: As professionals, in our careers, we must always be ready, too. If not, we could lose out on history
It’s an important lesson to keep in mind. Of course, when we’re starting out in our careers, we’re hungry. We go for every opportunity we can, right? But what happens later? Do we make sure to keep that edge?
Do we hit a plateau? Do we shrink away from the action if our number isn’t called? Or do we do the work to stay ready? Do we remain alert, eager for our next chance at success?
From now on, we have our example to keep in mind. If we ever feel like we’re hitting the wall or falling behind at work, we can remember Ferran Torres. The guy who came off the bench over 60 minutes into the World Cup Final.
And who left the game a hero.
As a Hall of Fame keynote speaker, longtime Associate Editor for Sports Illustrated, and 13-time New York Times Best-Selling author, Don Yaeger is one of America’s most provocative thought leaders. From walking into Afghanistan with the Mujahadeen to living with football legend Walter Payton, Don has spent three decades embedded with the world’s greatest "Greats." Now a sought-after executive coach and host of the Corporate Competitor Podcast, he translates the lessons of sports and business legends into actionable strategies for building a culture of greatness.
