World Cup holders Argentina will face reigning European champions Spain in a closely contested final in New Jersey on Sunday night, with England narrowly missing out.
Spain will play Argentina in the World Cup final on Sunday night
This is the dream final that FIFA has always wanted.
World champion Argentina, number one in the world ranking, and European champion Spain, number two in the FIFA ranking, will face off.
From the moment FIFA planned this World Cup as a tennis-style draw, these two countries were on a collision course to meet in the final at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
In sports, not just soccer, things rarely go according to plan, and both teams have a lot of uncertainty along the way.
But in the end they succeeded and the match will also feature Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal. The greatest match of all time against Spain’s young superstar.
It felt like a stage fit for a king, and also fitting for Messi, who could be playing his last game for Argentina. This was his 207th game and he has scored 126 goals.
Even at the age of 39, Messi is still Argentina’s most important player, still the center of Argentina and an inspiration.
Four years ago, when Argentina defeated France on penalties after perhaps the greatest final in history, we thought it might be Messi’s farewell.
However, the summer of 2026 could mark a bright new chapter for Messi, who aims to lead Argentina to become the first country since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cups.
Lionel Messi may write the final chapter in his legendary Argentina career (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)
Messi started playing walking soccer at this tournament. But Messi stepped up for Argentina when they needed him. Messi led the fightback against Egypt. And he helped break English hearts in the semi-finals in Atlanta.
However, Spain has a tremendous advantage. They will be given an additional 24 hours to recover and prepare. That may not seem like a big deal, but in this climate and sweltering conditions, it can be a huge deal.
Spain won the Euros two years ago, beating England in the final, and now, two years later, they are back in the World Cup finals, defeating France in the semi-finals.
The reason they completely dominated Kylian Mbappé and others was mainly because of their midfielders Rodri, Dani Olmo and Fabian Ruiz who controlled the game.
Spain must be the favorite. They are better quality, younger and have more energy on their side. However, as England discovered, abandoning Argentina is dangerous. They don’t know when they’re going to get hit.
It has all the elements of a classic. And it’s a fairytale farewell opportunity for Messi, the greatest of all time. It was a great World Cup on the pitch. And this is a great ending.
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