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Spain and Argentina prepare to face off in World Cup final

Developed over time first seen 3 months ago

The Guardian · 3 months ago

Squads

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 defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time to win the 2026 World Cup final in New Jersey, capping a tournament in which Lionel Messi and Argentina had been chasing what would have been a historic victory. The result gave Spain their second World Cup title, following their previous triumph in 2010, and denied Argentina what would have been an eighth title and a fitting send-off for Messi on the biggest stage.

The final came after a heavily hyped build-up, including a lavish pre-match closing ceremony featuring streamer IShowSpeed, Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams and Tom Cruise. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente had opted against man-marking Messi despite the Argentina captain's tournament tally of eight goals and four assists, a gamble that ultimately paid off as Spain's victory was settled only after the match went beyond normal time.

Sources: 6
Outlets: 6
Left · Centre · Right: 1 · 0 · 1

In short

Spain beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the World Cup final
Spain claim their second World Cup title, after 2010
Messi's Argentina fall short despite a strong tournament run

How this story developed

3 months ago Fresh pre-match details emerged casting the contest as a historic mismatch of finalist pedigree, with Argentina appearing for a seventh time against Spain's second, even as wildfire smoke over New York drew mockery from the rival host cities snubbed for the venue.
3 months ago Spain's gamble paid off as they beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time in a final preceded by a starry closing show, securing a second world title and denying Messi the crowning triumph of his career.
3 months ago Ahead of Sunday's showpiece at MetLife Stadium, Spain's Luis de la Fuente has revealed he will leave Lionel Messi unmarked, betting that crowding him only invites the kind of explosive response the Argentine gave as a teenager against Sevilla.

19 Jul, 17:00Fox News Caitlin Clark 'cheering hard' for Argentina over Spain in World Cup final: 'I want Messi'
19 Jul, 17:00Variety FIFA World Cup Final 2026 Livestream: Here’s Where to Watch the Spain vs. Argentina Online
19 Jul, 17:00Billboard FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show 2026: How to Watch Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira, BTS & Others Live Online Free
19 Jul, 17:00GamesRadar+ How to watch the World Cup final, live stream for free around the world
19 Jul, 17:15The Hollywood Reporter Where to Watch Spain vs. Argentina in the 2026 World Cup Final Online
19 Jul, 19:32The Guardian Spain and Argentina prepare to face off in World Cup final

Where outlets differ

Left-leaning outlets 1

Spain and Argentina prepare to face off in World Cup finalThe Guardian

Only here: prepare, face

Right-leaning outlets 1

Caitlin Clark 'cheering hard' for Argentina over Spain in World Cup final: 'I want Messi'Fox News

Only here: caitlin, clark, cheering, hard, want

Every side used: spain, argentina, world, final

Headline columns compared word for word; nothing in them is AI-written.

Explained simply

Spain and Argentina met in the final of the 2026 World Cup, football's biggest international tournament, held this year in the United States. Argentina had gone into the match hoping to win an eighth world title and give their captain, Lionel Messi, one of the sport's greatest ever players, a landmark victory before the likely end of his international career. Spain, who won the World Cup once before in 2010, were looking to add a second title.

The match followed weeks of games watched by a global television audience, and the final itself was preceded by a high-profile ceremony featuring performers and celebrities. Beyond the sport itself, the game carried extra weight because of Messi's involvement, given his stature in football and speculation over whether this tournament marked his last realistic shot at World Cup glory.

Coverage · 6 sources

Bias meters

Left50%

Centre0%

Right50%

From 2 rated sources, 4 unrated.

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Originally published by The Guardian as “Spain v Argentina: World Cup 2026 final – live”.

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