The World Cup’s 104th and final match of the summer will decide whether Spain or Argentina adds to its collection of world titles. Spain has already gone farther than it ever has since winning the trophy for the first time 16 years ago, while it’s back-to-back finals for Argentina as it seeks to become the first champion to defend its title since 1962. Both teams are unbeaten during their seven matches en route to the showpiece event, although their respective paths to Sunday’s title decider have been wildly different. Spain’s journey has been smooth, composed and unflappable in North America, while Argentina’s scrappy, combative approach has seen it overcome self-imposed hurdle after hurdle. Here’s a reminder of how the international behemoths reached soccer’s grandest game. Spain’s Route to 2026 World Cup FinalSpain has won six of seven matches in normal time. | Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated Things started precariously for the European champions. Opening against debutants Cabo Verde, they were expected to make not only a winning start to their group stage campaign, but significantly boost their goal difference in the process. Instead, they were greeted by a watertight wall of blue jerseys. A heroic defensive performance from the minnows held Spain to a goalless draw, leading to an inquest back home. How could La Roja have failed to get on the scoresheet against a World Cup newcomer? Well, Luis de la Fuente’s men emphatically silenced their critics on matchday two, firing four unanswered goals past Saudi Arabia. Lamine Yamal scored his first World Cup goal, while Mikel Oyarzabal bagged a brace to all but confirm Spain’s place in the knockout phase. Spain knew a draw in its group stage finale with Uruguay would almost certainly sew up top spot, but Álex Baena’s strike just before halftime clinched victory during a low-quality affair. La Roja were pitted against four successive European opponents on their way to Sunday’s gargantuan encounter. First up was Austria, a potentially awkward opponent led by the tactically-tricky Ralf Rangnick. It was no trouble for Spain, however, who motored to a routine 3–0 victory courtesy of another Oyarzabal double. Spain swatted Austria aside. | Dave Bernal/ISI Photos/Getty ImagesAn impenetrable defense was still yet to concede as Spain edged closer to the final and even Portugal’s embarrassment of attacking riches proved no match for De la Fuente’s well-organized rearguard. Having completely nullified their Iberian rivals, La Roja stole a late victory as substitute Mikel Merino rose to the occasion with a clinical 91st-minute strike. Merino was on hand to spare Spain a trip to extra time in the quarterfinals, too. Charles De Ketelaere had responded to Fabián Ruiz’s strike as Belgium became the first team to score past the champions of Europe, but Merino once again delivered from the bench by netting a winner in the dying embers following an error from goalkeeper Senne Lammens. Next came the semifinals, and Spain found itself as the underdog for the first time. A swashbuckling France side was favorite to reach a third-successive final due to its attacking firepower, but La Roja refused to be overawed. A rock solid backline provided the foundation on which Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro could strike to offer an unassailable two-goal lead. Spain’s World Cup ResultsRoundResultGroup StageSpain 0–0 Cabo VerdeGroup StageSpain 4–0 Saudi ArabiaGroup StageUruguay 0–1 SpainRound of 32Spain 3–0 AustriaRound of 16Portugal 0–1 SpainQuarterfinalSpain 2–1 BelgiumSemifinalFrance 0–2 SpainArgentina’s Route to 2026 World Cup FinalArgentina has taken an awkward route to the final. | Pat Isaacs/MI News/NurPhoto/Getty ImagesUnlike Spain, the reigning world champions could have hardly been more emphatic in their opening fixture. Coming up against an admittedly unspectacular Algeria team, Lionel Messi ran riot with an exceptional hat trick which decided the contest and reminded the world that the veteran can still be utterly deadly on the biggest stages. More Messi sorcery was conjured in Argentina’s next match as well, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner recovering from an early penalty miss against Austria to fire La Albiceleste ahead before the break, and then secure three points in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time. Messi was benched for the start of the group stage finale with Argentina already through, but that didn’t prevent him from etching his name onto the scoresheet in the second half. Giovani Lo Celso’s direct free kick was followed by Lautaro Martínez’s penalty against debutants Jordan, who proceeded to pull one back prior to Messi’s sixth goal of the tournament. Having sauntered through the group stage without a hitch, the knockout phase has proven surprisingly traumatic for the South Americans. Just like Spain had, they seriously struggled against Cabo Verde, who forced them to extra time after a 1–1 draw in 90 minutes. Both sides scored again in the additional period, including an absolute stunner from the Africans, but an own goal eventually tipped the scales in Argentina’s favor as it won 3–2. Messi has been essential for Argentina. | Erick W. Rasco/Sports IllustratedThat was the same scoreline Argentina played out against Egypt in the round of 16, where it was once again pushed to its limits. The Pharaohs boasted a shock two-goal lead until Cristian Romero pulled one back in the 79th minute and Messi equalized four minutes later. A controversial conclusion saw La Albiceleste clinch a stoppage-time winner via Enzo Fernández. Lionel Scaloni’s men would face another alarmingly-tight contest with Switzerland in the quarterfinals, extra time required to pry the sides apart. Eventually Argentina reigned supreme against 10 men, with Julián Alvarez’s beauty preceding a late clincher from Lautaro Martínez.Argentina has required heroics at every stage of its knockout campaign, but it saved its greatest escape for the semifinal with England. An incredibly feisty affair saw it trailing until the 85th minute when Fernández thundered home from long range, after which extra time loomed. However, a remarkable comeback was completed in normal time as Lautaro Martínez headed home the winner just seven minutes later. Argentina’s World Cup ResultsRoundResultGroup StageArgentina 3–0 AlgeriaGroup StageArgentina 2–0 AustriaGroup StageJordan 1–3 ArgentinaRound of 32Argentina 3–2 Cabo Verde (AET)Round of 16Argentina 3–2 EgyptQuarterfinalArgentina 3–1 Switzerland (AET)SemifinalEngland 1–2 ArgentinaREAD THE LATEST WORLD CUP NEWS, ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT FROM SI FCAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow