EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — It’s hard to fathom Sunday’s World Cup final between Spain and Argentina at MetLife Stadium eclipsing the prior five weeks of soccer theater performed across North America.
Could it possibly top the England-Mexico Round-of-16 firecracker at Estadio Azteca? Or any of the Argentine knockout cliffhangers? How about Belgium’s late rally toppling Senegal or Morocco coming back to oust the Netherlands?
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But here we are, at the end of the road — at Exit 16W off the New Jersey Turnpike — for the last of 104 matches laid out over 39 days across 16 venues in three countries.
“On Sunday we will watch a great show, two great national teams, two super teams,” Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said. “Very similar in some aspects in terms of attitude, footballers’ talent. It’s going to be an amazing final. … Both Spain and Argentina will have a game plan where talent and big football will rule over everything else.”
Consider the elements:
Argentina, with its manic fan base, is seeking to become the first team since Pelé’s Brazil in 1962 to hoist consecutive trophies.
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Spain is the reigning European champion, Argentina the South American ruler.
Outside a shootout defeat, which goes in the record books as a draw, Spain has not lost since early 2024, a span of 37 matches. Argentina has won 14 straight and is on a 19-1-1 tear.
Spain has conceded one goal in seven matches, the equivalent of 10½ hours of paralyzing soccer. Argentina is averaging almost three goals per game.
There are the coaches: Argentina’s Lionel Scaloni, whom Diego Maradona once said “couldn’t even direct traffic” after transitioning from the under-20 program, and Spain’s de la Fuente, 65, a former youth coach himself who quotes Roman emperors.
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There are the teams: a Spanish unit with few superstars but one that dominates possession and squeezes the life out of opponents through pressure and organization, and an Argentine side that has somehow mustered the energy and willpower to overcome late deficits.
“This was something beautiful, something wonderful,” Scaloni said of successive barnburners against Cape Verde, Egypt, Switzerland and England. “I hope we will win. But if we don’t win, I think this journey was unbelievable and an example for everyone. I hope it would help our people, our country.”
Then, of course, there are the players, notably Lionel Messi, who, with each memorable match in the twilight of his 30s, etches his name permanently atop the list of greatest players in history. Years ago, even as he blessed the sport with his wondrous skills and absurd statistics, skeptics said he couldn’t stand alongside Pelé and Maradona without winning the World Cup; now he’s on the cusp of winning it twice.
Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal will square off when Argentina and Spain meet in Sunday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
(ODD ANDERSEN,ROBERTO SCHMIDT via Getty Images)
Though it would be poetic, Messi is not quite ready to pass the torch to Spain’s sensational winger, Lamine Yamal, who, at not even half Messi’s age, is on a similar stardom trajectory at both FC Barcelona — Messi’s first pro club — and an elite national team.
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Regardless of the outcome, this is also a triumph for Latin soccer. The last time two teams with such ethnicity clashed in the final was Uruguay vs. Brazil in 1950. Two predominantly Spanish-speaking countries — and two that happen to have defined excellence this century — are playing for the title for the first time since Uruguay vs. Argentina in the 1930 inaugural tournament.
Another championship might just send all of Argentina over the edge. No fan base follows its team with the numbers and unconditional support like those supporting La Albiceleste.
“You see how people are celebrating, how happy they feel, and that really gets to us,” Scaloni said. “We always say the national team plays for their country, for the people, for those families who watch us. We see something extremely valuable, which is people watching our games on TV, wearing the Argentina jersey and hugging each other — Boca Juniors fans hugging [rival] River Plate fans and Newell’s [Old Boys] fans hugging [rival Rosario] Central fans. This is something that makes us emotional. This feeling of unity; we really feel it.”
Spain does not care one bit about Argentina’s feelings. La Roja is on its way to replicating the achievements of the last great Spanish team, led by Xavi Hernández, Andrés Iniesta and Carles Puyol, who bookended their 2010 world championship in South Africa with European titles in 2008 and 2012.
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This Spanish side won the 2023 Nations League and 2024 European Championship before losing the 2025 Nations League final to Portugal in a shootout. (Its under-23 team won the Olympic gold medal two years ago in Paris.)
“We come from a growth process,” captain Rodri said. “We’ve seen the team mature over the years and follow a path to lift the World Cup. We’re happy with the process, but our ambition goes beyond.”
Despite the deep soccer ties between the countries — many Argentines play in Spain’s La Liga — the national teams are strangers. The only World Cup meeting came in 1966, a 2-1 Argentine victory in Birmingham, England.
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Sunday’s final is their first meeting since a March 2018 friendly in Madrid, dominated by Spain, 6-1. Sunday’s margin probably won’t swell beyond a goal or two.
For Spain, the key is the collective. One of de la Fuente’s favorite quotations is from Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius:
“What brings no benefit to the hive brings none to the bee.”
For sure, a stadium packed to the brim Sunday will be buzzing.
