Football’s greatest prize is up for grabs at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. It is Spain vs Argentina in the World Cup final.Europe’s champions take on their South American counterparts. Lionel Messi, 39, faces 19-year-old Lamine Yamal — perhaps the closest possible heir to his legend at Barcelona.It will be their first meeting on the pitch, but — incredibly — Messi helped bathe a five-month-old Yamal as part of a charity photoshoot back in December 2007.Get free access to the most comprehensive World Cup coverage in The Athletic appSpain, who have only conceded one goal in seven matches at the tournament, are looking to win the World Cup for a second time, 16 years on from their first success.Argentina, meanwhile, are defending the title they won in 2022 — their third in total — in a match that is widely expected to mark Messi’s farewell from the game’s biggest stage.We take a closer look at this mouthwatering tie, and where it might be decided…What’s the key info I need to know?Round: World Cup final
World rankings: Spain (FIFA ranking: 2nd) vs Argentina (1st)
Venue: MetLife Stadium, New York, New Jersey
Date: Sunday, July 19
Kick-off: 12pm PT/3pm ET/8pm BSTHow did Spain reach the final?Spain’s World Cup began with a big shock, as they were held to a goalless draw by African competition debutants Cape Verde, ranked 67th in the world.They got up and running against Saudi Arabia, scoring three times before the first cooling break, with centre-forward Mikel Oyarzabal scoring twice and assisting for Yamal. An own goal from Saudi defender Hassan Altambakti completed the 4-0 scoreline.Luis de la Fuente’s team then made sure they topped Group H by eking out a tough 1-0 victory over a stubborn Uruguay side in game three, thanks to Alex Baena’s snapshot.The idea was always for the team to grow into the tournament, as key players including Yamal and Rodri returned to 100 per cent sharpness after recent injuries.The improvement continued with a 3-0 hammering of Austria in the round of 32, including a double from centre-forward Oyarzabal and right-back Pedro Porro finishing off a neat team move.The last 16 brought a tight and tense 1-0 win over Iberian neighbours Portugal, decided by substitute Mikel Merino’s 91st-minute goal, which ended Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup career.Yamal and Cristiano Ronaldo embrace after Spain’s 1-0 win in the last 16 (Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images)Spain upped their level further in the quarter-finals. Although a mistake by Belgium’s replacement keeper Senne Lammens helped ‘supersub’ Merino score late on again, the 2-1 final result did not fully reflect how well they played against a team who had eliminated the United States in the previous round.The biggest test came against pre-tournament favourites France in Tuesday’s semi-final. Spain matched the occasion with an outstanding display in both attack and defence, as 2024 Ballon d’Or winner Rodri helped his team control the midfield completely, frustrating superstar French attackers Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise.Yamal’s persistence and intelligence won a penalty which Oyarzabal converted, and playmaker Dani Olmo set up Porro’s second-half strike to seal a fully deserved 2-0 victory.Dermot CorriganHow did Argentina reach the final?There’s been more than a whiff of survival about Argentina at the World Cup, which is why their powers of progression are so remarkable. They’ve been backed into a corner more than once, and in a number of ways (physically and tactically), yet always able to find solutions.The group stage was a doddle, as it was always likely to be in a pool containing Algeria, Austria and Jordan. Messi ran riot, their defence experienced very little stress and it was nailed on that they would top the group from the moment they saw off Algeria at a canter, winning 3-0.The nature of the World Cup draw, with teams seeded by FIFA for the first time, meant that trouble wasn’t likely to occur until the knockouts — when it absolutely did.Argentina trailed Egypt 2-0 before coming back to win 3-2 (Elsa/Getty Images)Come the last 32, the pressure escalated drastically. Argentina were pushed hard by Cape Verde, and their legs threatened to give up on them in extra time. They were borderline eliminated in the last 16 before fighting back from 2-0 down against Egypt (and no mention of that tie can pass without reference to certain refereeing decisions in it).They were in trouble again in their quarter-final against Switzerland, who had impetus behind them at 1-1, only for Breel Embolo to pick up a red card. And their semi-final victory over England was plucked from another incredibly precarious position.Messi’s influence is clearly critical. Eight goals and four assists are the definition of carrying a team, but just as vital to Lionel Scaloni is Argentina’s knack of hanging in, riding out storms and coming up with late goals. If this isn’t a name-on-the-trophy run, what is?Phil HayHow to watch on TVUnited States: 12pm PDT/3pm EDT: Fox Sports One (English), Telemundo (Spanish)
