Spain enters the World Cup Final as the consensus favorites to defeat Argentina, according to updated odds. The final is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET at MetLife Stadium.
Bookmakers have listed Argentina as +125 underdogs on the three-way moneyline, while Spain is priced at -162 to win. The tournament has been marked by Lionel Messi's performances for Argentina at age 39. Messi leads the tournament with 12 combined goals and assists, with his odds for the Golden Boot trailing only Kylian Mbappé of France.
Spain reached the final after defeating France 2-0. Mikel Oyarzabal scored his fifth goal of the tournament on a first-half penalty, and Pedro Porro secured the victory. Throughout the semifinal match, Spain dominated possession, employing a high press that limited France to just two shots on target. Spain has conceded only one goal in seven games during the tournament, a statistic that came against Belgium in the quarterfinal. The team leads all competitors in expected goal difference and holds a 3.8 percent possession advantage over Argentina.
Argentina, who began the tournament with 9/1 odds to repeat as champions, has demonstrated resilience, overcoming deficits in each of their four knockout stage matches. They required extra time to defeat Cape Verde, rallied from a two-goal deficit against Egypt, and outlasted Switzerland in a match that included a red card for the Swiss side.
This final marks only the second official match between the two soccer nations. Their last encounter was a 2-1 victory for Argentina in the 1966 World Cup. Argentina aims to become the first defending champion to win consecutive titles since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.