The World Cup final pits Argentina against Spain, bringing together two teams with distinct statistical profiles honed over a month of competition. Argentina, seeking to defend their 2022 title, is led by talisman Lionel Messi, appearing in his sixth World Cup. Spain, aiming for their second title after a 2010 victory, enters the final after a strong semi-final performance.
Argentina's Statistical Footprint
Argentina's path to the final has been marked by their offensive prowess, having scored a tournament-high 19 goals. Lionel Messi is central to this attacking threat, leading the team with eight goals, which also places him at the top of the Golden Boot race. This tally surpasses his previous World Cup best of seven goals in 2022. Messi also leads the team in shots per match (4.9) and assists (four).
In terms of player minutes, Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez has played every minute, totaling 798, with two of Argentina's matches going into extra time. For outfield players, Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister has accumulated 728 minutes, only slightly more than Messi's 712. Mac Allister has started every match except one group-stage game, where he came on as a substitute.
Conversely, midfielder Valentin Barco has seen limited action, with only 19 minutes on the field in a group-stage match. Striker Jose Manuel Lopez has accumulated 18 minutes across two appearances, contributing one assist and receiving a yellow card in his 10 minutes of play during the quarter-final against Switzerland.
Defensively, Argentina has conceded seven goals throughout the tournament. They have accumulated nine yellow cards across seven matches but have avoided any red cards. Their average fouls per match stand at 12.6.
Spain's Statistical Profile
Spain, managed by Luis de la Fuente, has impressed with a formidable defense, conceding only one goal, which occurred against Belgium in the quarter-finals. This defensive record leads all teams in the tournament. Goalkeeper Unai Simon, along with defenders Pau Cubarsi and Marc Cucurella, have played every minute of Spain's 717 minutes of play.
Spain has scored 13 goals in total. Mikel Oyarzabal leads the team with five goals, including braces in a Round of 32 match and a group-stage game. Nineteen-year-old midfielder Lamine Yamal leads Spain in shots per match with 3.3, although he has scored only one goal, which came in a group-stage match against Saudi Arabia.
Marc Cucurella leads Spain in assists with two, both recorded in the Round of 32 match against Austria. This is half the number of assists provided by Messi. Several players, including Eric Garcia, Alex Grimaldo, Victor Munoz, and Martin Zubimendi, have not yet featured in the tournament.
Spain's highest-rated player according to Sofascore is Rodri, with a score of 7.67. The Manchester City midfielder has covered the greatest distance at the tournament, clocking 52.07 miles.
Defensively, Spain has recorded six clean sheets. They have committed 11.4 fouls per match and received six yellow cards, with no red cards issued. Neither team has conceded a penalty goal.
Head-to-Head Statistics
Argentina leads Spain in total goals scored (19 to 13). However, Spain holds a significant advantage in goals conceded, having let in only one compared to Argentina's seven. Possession statistics are close, with Argentina at 60.9 percent and Spain slightly higher at 63.7 percent. Argentina secured maximum points with nine from their group stage matches, while Spain earned seven, including a draw.
