Spain take back the men's World Cup: Coello and Nieto beat Argentina 2-1 in Doha

Spain win the padel World Cup final 2-1: Coello and Nieto beat Libaak and Alfonso 6-3, 6-2. The three matches, the surprise pair and what comes next.

Spain have the men's world title back. In Doha on Saturday 7 November, they beat Argentina 2-1 in the FIP World Cup final, and the tie was settled by the match nobody had put first on the list: Arturo Coello and Coki Nieto beating Tino Libaak and Gonzalo Alfonso 6-3 and 6-2.

Argentina had won the two previous world finals against Spain, in 2022 and 2024. This time the Spanish staff changed the script, and it worked at the third attempt.

A surprise opening that changed the final

The final began with the choice that had surprised everyone when the line-ups came out. Spain paired Juan Lebron with Aimar Goni, a partnership with far less history than the Argentine pair across the net. The Spanish press called it a bet: “Puerta grande o enfermería”, in the words of Padel Spain.

Lebron and Goni beat Di Nenno and Augsburger

Martin Di Nenno and Leo Augsburger are a settled pair that won the Madrid P1 in 2025, and in the second set they led 4-2, two games from taking a 1-0 lead for Argentina. Lebron and Goni broke back, saved break points and won in three sets, closing with a 6-2 third. It was Goni's first world final, and Padel Magazine said he grew into the match, with Lebron staying close to him throughout. Padel Spain reported that Lebron broke down in tears afterwards.

Tapia and Chingotto level the tie

Argentina answered at once. Agustin Tapia and Federico Chingotto beat Paquito Navarro and Jon Sanz 6-1 and 6-2 in 55 minutes, which was what the paper said would happen. At 1-1, everything came down to one match.

Coello decides it

Coello, the world number one, had won the Kuwait Major with Tapia only a week earlier. In Doha they stood on opposite sides of the net. Padel Magazine described him as almost unplayable, a player who completely smothered the Argentine pair, and the headline of its report put the title down to a “stratospheric” Coello.

The match took 1h20. Spain led 5-1 in the second set, Argentina broke back to 5-2, and Spain broke again to close it at 6-2. Nieto had been Coello's partner at the 2024 World Championship, where they also reached the final, and this time he finished the job.

The absences that shaped both teams

Alejandro Galan missed the tournament with a right-hand injury, a blow Padel Magazine said hurt Spain as much as anyone. The Spanish team that won was rebuilt around Lebron, Coello, Goni, Nieto, Navarro and Sanz, and every piece of it played a part in the final.

Argentina had its own question. Franco Stupaczuk was left out of the final, and Padel Magazine raised whether he should have played. With a tie decided by one match, the debate will not go away quickly.

A Spanish double and what comes next

The men's win completes a Spanish double: a day earlier the women beat Argentina 2-0 in Doha for their tenth world title. Spain left Qatar with both trophies after losing the men's final to Argentina in the last two editions.

Back on the Premier Padel circuit, the same names will meet again within days. Padel Magazine reports that Galan and Chingotto have withdrawn from the Dubai P1, so Javi Leal and Guerrero go straight into its main draw. Navarro said it was probably his last match with Spain. The national teams are done for now, and the tour does not wait.