Lamine Yamal vs. Lionel Messi As Spain-Argentina Set Up World Cup Final

It all comes down to this: Spain and Argentina will meet in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday at New York New Jersey Stadium in the world’s most important game. It is a clash between two elite national teams who both put on remarkable performances in their respective semifinal wins. 

It pits the reigning European champion who is undefeated in its last 14 games in major tournaments (13 wins and one draw) against a team whose success is unparalleled, like the two-time reigning Copa América holders and the defending World Cup champion.

Here is everything you need to know about the FIFA World Cup final:

Spain vs. Argentina: How To Watch

Winning any major international tournament is exceptionally hard as it takes world-class talent, top coaching, no off days, and even a little bit of luck. On Sunday, Argentina will attempt to win its fourth consecutive major tournament in what would be an unprecedented feat. 

Of course, the accomplishment was made possible by Lionel Messi, who is widely regarded as the greatest player of all time.

What is striking about Messi’s career is that most of his international success began at the age of 34 with the 2021 Copa América, when he was named the tournament’s best player in leading Argentina to its first title since 1993. Then he won the World Cup in 2022 at the age of 35, where he was again named the best player. Argentina repeated the Copa América title in 2024 in the United States despite Messi scoring just one goal and leaving the final injured. 

Now at the 2026 World Cup, Messi has once again continued to dominate the tournament at the age of 39. He scored Argentina’s first five goals of the tournament and only three of the team’s 14 goals in the last five games. What is so