Argentina v Spain preview Date: Sunday 19th July, 2026 Kick-off: 7 pm Venue: MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, New Jersey) Referee: Slavko Vinci
Argentina v Spain preview
Date: Sunday 19th July, 2026
Kick-off: 7 pm
Venue: MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, New Jersey)
Referee: Slavko Vincic (Slovenia)
Sunday’s final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey pits defending champions Argentina against reigning European champions Spain in a genuine clash of styles.
Argentina arrive as football’s great escape artists.
La Albiceleste have made a habit of coming from behind late in matches all tournament — an own goal in the 111th minute saw off Cape Verde, Enzo Fernández struck in the 92nd minute against a two-goal deficit in the round of 16, Julián Álvarez’s extra-time golazo dispatched the quarter-final, and most recently Lautaro Martínez’s stoppage-time header sank England 2-1 in the semis after Anthony Gordon had given the Three Lions the lead.
A win on Sunday would make Argentina only the third nation ever to defend the World Cup, after Brazil’s back-to-back titles in 1958 and 1962, and it would also complete a remarkable run of four consecutive major tournament wins for this group.
Spain, by contrast, have been near-unbeatable defensively.
Through the tournament, only Belgium have managed to score against them, and that 2-0 dismantling of a France side that had scored 16 goals across six matches announced their semi-final credentials emphatically.
Spain are chasing their first World Cup since 2010, and they head into the final as slight favourites thanks to that defensive record and their control in midfield.
The individual storyline writes itself: Lionel Messi, already arguably the greatest player the game has produced, chasing a second World Cup title and an unprecedented run of trophies, against Lamine Yamal, the tournament’s brightest young star, spearheading Spain’s push for glory.
Messi has been directly involved in nearly every big Argentina moment this tournament, contributing eight goals and four assists, including Wednesday’s decisive assist for Martínez.
Tactically, this looks like a contrast in tempo — Argentina willing to sit back and strike late, Spain patient in possession and happy to suffocate opponents into mistakes.
Neither approach is spectacular in bursts, but both have proven ruthlessly effective.
Expect a tight, cagey opening with Spain likely to dominate territory, while Argentina waits for its moment — a pattern that has decided almost every one of their knockout games so far.
Probable XI
Argentina
4-1-3-2
Martinez (GK)
Molina, Romero, Martínez, Tagliafico (DF)
Paredes (DM)
Fernández, Mac Allister, de Paul (AMF)
Messi, Álvarez (FW)
Spain
4-2-3-1
Simon (GK)
Cucurella, Laporte, Cubaesi, Porro (DF)
Rodri, Ruiz (DM)
Yamal, Olmo, Baena (AM)
Oryazabal (ST)
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