Spain and Argentina meet in first World Cup final of its kind
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Finished
Spain squad
- Full squad
-
1 David RAYA
Goalkeeper -
2 Marc PUBILL
Defender -
3 Alex GRIMALDO
Defender -
4 Eric GARCIA
Defender -
5 Marcos LLORENTE
Defender -
6 Mikel MERINO
Midfielder -
7 Ferran TORRES
Forward -
8 Fabian RUIZ
Midfielder -
9 GAVI
Midfielder -
10 Dani OLMO
Forward -
11 Yeremy PINO
Forward -
12 Pedro PORRO
Defender -
13 Joan GARCIA
Goalkeeper -
14 Aymeric LAPORTE
Defender -
15 Alex BAENA
Midfielder -
16 RODRI
Midfielder -
17 Nico WILLIAMS
Forward -
18 Martin ZUBIMENDI
Midfielder -
19 Lamine YAMAL
Forward -
20 PEDRI
Midfielder -
21 Mikel OYARZABAL
Forward -
22 Pau CUBARSI
Defender -
23 Unai SIMON
Goalkeeper -
24 Marc CUCURELLA
Defender -
25 Victor MUNOZ
Forward -
26 Borja IGLESIAS
Forward
Argentina squad
- Full squad
-
1 Juan MUSSO
Goalkeeper -
2 Marcos SENESI
Defender -
3 Nicolas TAGLIAFICO
Defender -
4 Gonzalo MONTIEL
Defender -
5 Leandro PAREDES
Midfielder -
6 Lisandro MARTINEZ
Defender -
7 Rodrigo DE PAUL
Midfielder -
8 Valentin BARCO
Midfielder -
9 Julian ALVAREZ
Forward -
10 Lionel MESSI
Forward -
11 Giovani Lo Celso
Midfielder -
12 Geronimo RULLI
Goalkeeper -
13 Cristian ROMERO
Defender -
14 Exequiel PALACIOS
Midfielder -
15 Nico GONZALEZ
Midfielder -
16 Thiago ALMADA
Forward -
17 Giuliano SIMEONE
Forward -
18 Nico PAZ
Forward -
19 Nicolas OTAMENDI
Defender -
20 Alexis MAC ALLISTER
Midfielder -
21 Jose Manuel LOPEZ
Forward -
22 Lautaro MARTINEZ
Forward -
23 Emiliano MARTINEZ
Goalkeeper -
24 Enzo FERNANDEZ
Midfielder -
25 Facundo MEDINA
Defender -
26 Nahuel MOLINA
Defender
Spain and Argentina, ranked as the world's top two international sides, met in the 2026 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday, in a fixture billed as historic for pitting the reigning champions of South America against those of Europe for the first time. Argentina reached the final via a dramatic stoppage-time comeback against England, while Spain progressed with a convincing semi-final win over France, setting up a contest between two contrasting footballing philosophies.
The final pitted Spain's highly organised, collectively drilled defence and team-based approach against Argentina's more individually driven attacking threat, with pundits noting both sides were well placed to exploit their respective strengths. Slovenian official Slavko Vincic took charge of the match, becoming the first Slovenian referee to officiate a World Cup final.
- Spain faced Argentina in the 2026 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium
- First final between South American and European champions
- Slavko Vincic became first Slovenian to referee a World Cup final
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Spain and Argentina are the two highest-ranked national teams in the world, and both have reached Sunday's World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Argentina got there with a stoppage-time comeback against England, while Spain beat France comfortably in their semi-final. It is the first World Cup final to pit the reigning champions of Europe against the reigning champions of South America.
The two teams have contrasting styles: Spain rely on a well-organised defence and collective, methodical play, while Argentina are built around a strong attacking threat. The match will be refereed by Slovenia's Slavko Vincic, who becomes the first Slovenian official to take charge of a World Cup final.
Coverage
- The Guardian — World Cup 2026: Spain v Argentina final buildup; England win 10-goal thriller – live
- The Guardian — Spain v Argentina in the World Cup final: the referee, the stats and the omens
- The Guardian — World Cup final data pointers: Spain’s defensive record and Argentina’s attack
- The Guardian — Masters of time and space, Spain’s dominance comes from deep-rooted principles | Emma Hayes
- Fox News — Argentina face Spain in 2026 World Cup final in New Jersey
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