Spain and Argentina meet in first World Cup final of its kind
Spain squad
- Full squad
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1 David RAYA Goalkeeper
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2 Marc PUBILL Defender
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3 Alex GRIMALDO Defender
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4 Eric GARCIA Defender
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5 Marcos LLORENTE Defender
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6 Mikel MERINO Midfielder
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7 Ferran TORRES Forward
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8 Fabian RUIZ Midfielder
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9 GAVI Midfielder
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10 Dani OLMO Forward
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11 Yeremy PINO Forward
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12 Pedro PORRO Defender
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13 Joan GARCIA Goalkeeper
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14 Aymeric LAPORTE Defender
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15 Alex BAENA Midfielder
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16 RODRI Midfielder
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17 Nico WILLIAMS Forward
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18 Martin ZUBIMENDI Midfielder
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19 Lamine YAMAL Forward
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20 PEDRI Midfielder
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21 Mikel OYARZABAL Forward
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22 Pau CUBARSI Defender
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23 Unai SIMON Goalkeeper
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24 Marc CUCURELLA Defender
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25 Victor MUNOZ Forward
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26 Borja IGLESIAS Forward
Argentina squad
- Full squad
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1 Juan MUSSO Goalkeeper
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2 Marcos SENESI Defender
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3 Nicolas TAGLIAFICO Defender
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4 Gonzalo MONTIEL Defender
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5 Leandro PAREDES Midfielder
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6 Lisandro MARTINEZ Defender
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7 Rodrigo DE PAUL Midfielder
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8 Valentin BARCO Midfielder
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9 Julian ALVAREZ Forward
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10 Lionel MESSI Forward
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11 Giovani Lo Celso Midfielder
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12 Geronimo RULLI Goalkeeper
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13 Cristian ROMERO Defender
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14 Exequiel PALACIOS Midfielder
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15 Nico GONZALEZ Midfielder
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16 Thiago ALMADA Forward
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17 Giuliano SIMEONE Forward
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18 Nico PAZ Forward
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19 Nicolas OTAMENDI Defender
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20 Alexis MAC ALLISTER Midfielder
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21 Jose Manuel LOPEZ Forward
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22 Lautaro MARTINEZ Forward
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23 Emiliano MARTINEZ Goalkeeper
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24 Enzo FERNANDEZ Midfielder
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25 Facundo MEDINA Defender
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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.
- Sources
- 5
- Outlets
- 2
- Left · Centre · Right
- 4 · 0 · 1
In short
- 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
How this story developed
- 3 months ago Later reporting sharpened that framing further, stressing more explicitly that Argentina's route had leaned on star quality in attack whereas Spain's success stemmed purely from collective structure rather than any single standout performer.
- 3 months ago Coverage ahead of kick-off framed the final as a clash of styles, contrasting Spain's disciplined, system-built defence with Argentina's reliance on individual flair to break it down, while reiterating both sides' paths through England and France respectively.
- 3 months ago Spain and Argentina, the world's top two ranked sides, contested the 2026 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, a first-ever meeting between South America's and Europe's reigning champions in the tournament showpiece, with Slovenian official Slavko Vincic taking charge as the first referee from his country to do so.
- 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
- The Guardian Spain v Argentina in the World Cup final: the referee, the stats and the omens
- The Guardian World Cup 2026: Spain v Argentina final buildup; England win 10-goal thriller – live
- Fox News Argentina face Spain in 2026 World Cup final in New Jersey
Where outlets differ
Left-leaning outlets 4
- World Cup 2026: Spain v Argentina final buildup; England win 10-goal thriller – liveThe Guardian
- Spain v Argentina in the World Cup final: the referee, the stats and the omensThe Guardian
- World Cup final data pointers: Spain’s defensive record and Argentina’s attackThe Guardian
- Masters of time and space, Spain’s dominance comes from deep-rooted principles | Emma HayesThe Guardian
Only here: buildup, england, goal, thriller, referee
Right-leaning outlets 1
Only here: face, jersey
Every side used: world, spain, argentina, final
Headline columns compared word for word; nothing in them is AI-written.
Explained simply
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 · 5 sources
Bias meters
From 5 rated sources.
- The GuardianLeftWorld Cup 2026: Spain v Argentina final buildup; England win 10-goal thriller – live
- The GuardianLeftSpain v Argentina in the World Cup final: the referee, the stats and the omens
- The GuardianLeftWorld Cup final data pointers: Spain’s defensive record and Argentina’s attack
- The GuardianLeftMasters of time and space, Spain’s dominance comes from deep-rooted principles | Emma Hayes
- Fox NewsFar rightArgentina face Spain in 2026 World Cup final in New Jersey
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