The World Cup final is set, pitting the tournament's most prolific offense against its stingiest defense: Lionel Messi's Argentina against Spain. The match will take place on Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Argentina secured its spot by rallying to a 2-1 victory over England in a semifinal on Wednesday. Spain advanced by defeating France in its semifinal on Tuesday. This final represents a clash of styles, with Argentina leading the tournament in goals scored (19) and Spain allowing the fewest goals (one).
Argentina, the defending champion, is aiming for its fourth World Cup title and could become the first nation to win back-to-back titles since Brazil in 1958 and 1962. Spain is seeking its second World Cup trophy, having won in 2010.
The final is the culmination of the largest World Cup ever, a 104-match tournament held across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It was originally anticipated that the two footballing giants would meet in March for the Finalissima, a match between the champions of South America and Europe, but that game was canceled due to security concerns amid unrest in the Middle East.
This matchup features a contrast between soccer's present and future, as well as the top two teams in the FIFA world rankings entering the tournament: Argentina at No. 1 and Spain at No. 2. A notable storyline involves Lamine Yamal, a young Spanish star, and Lionel Messi. A famous photo from 2007 shows a baby Yamal with Messi; two decades later, they are set to face each other in the World Cup final.
Spain's path to the final includes six wins and one draw. They topped their group with a draw against Cape Verde and victories over Saudi Arabia and Uruguay, before defeating Austria, Portugal, Belgium, and France in the knockout stages. Argentina has a perfect record of seven wins and no losses. They won their group by defeating Algeria, Austria, and Jordan, and then advanced through the knockout rounds by beating Cape Verde, Egypt, Switzerland, and England.
Both teams enter the final on impressive unbeaten streaks. Spain has not lost in its last 37 matches across all competitions, with 28 wins and nine draws since its last defeat in March 2024. Argentina is unbeaten in its last 13 World Cup matches, with 11 wins and two draws since its opening loss in the 2022 tournament.
Early betting odds favor Spain at +120 over Argentina (+275), with draw odds set at +200. These odds are subject to change as the title match approaches.