The 48-team FIFA World Cup 2026 tournament now comes down to one game: Spain against Argentina.It is hard to argue that the European champions and world number one team taking on the South American champions and World Cup holders is not a fitting finale.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4How World Cup football jerseys became political fashion in Latin Americalist 2 of 4World Cup: All to know before Sunday’s Spain vs Argentina blockbuster finallist 3 of 4FIFA World Cup 2026: Biggest takeaways from the semifinalslist 4 of 4‘We are unique’: How Argentina overcame England to reach World Cup finalend of listFrance had stormed into the pole position as favourites during the tournament, while England seemed to have their best chance since their only win 60 years ago.Nevertheless, there is plenty to pick through when it comes to the finalists, so Al Jazeera does exactly that:Argentina – World Cup holders and South American championsPrevious World Cup appearances: 18
Best performance: Winners (1978, 1986, 2022)
First appearance: 1930 (Uruguay)
Overall World Cup record: P94 W53 D17 L24 F171 A103
FIFA world ranking: 3Overview: If their 2022 challenge in Qatar got off to a shocking start, with defeat by Saudi Arabia, then the 2026 campaign for Argentina could be seen as a flyer in comparison.The truth, however, is that this has been far from a vintage Argentina, especially with Lionel Messi still the pivot of the team. The 39-year-old is, nevertheless, the reason that the title defence is ongoing.The last side to win back-to-back World Cups was Brazil in 1958 and 1962. Italy have also retained a title, so it is a very short list that Argentina are seeking to join.Strengths: Look no further than Messi for Argentina’s clear and unmatched – at least at this tournament – strength. The Inter Miami forward is set to win the Golden Boot with eight goals. The midfield trio holding in front of the back line: Enzo Fernandes, Alexis Mac Allister and Paredes, have been seen as the enforcers of the tournament, protecting Messi as much as the back line; they have even been compared to personal bodyguards for the Argentina legend.Weaknesses: Due to the weight of reliance on Messi, Argentina’s weakness has to be their ability to replace their main man. Should Messi sustain an injury, Argentina’s odds – already wide – would stretch further. They have pace and guile in Giuliano Simeone and Julian Alvarez, and goals in Lautaro Martinez; they also have power in their defence and holding midfielders, but do they have a spark without Messi? Arguably, no team at World Cup 2026 has been more reliant on one player.Form guide: Argentina have not lost a match since they were beaten 1-0 in Ecuador in a FIFA World Cup qualifying match. Since then, the South American champions have gone on a 14-game winning streak.The Argentinians rattled in eight goals as they swept the group stage of the World Cup, conceding only once – in their final game against Jordan when already qualified for the round of 32.The knockouts have proved far trickier, with 3-2 wins recorded in the last 32 and last 16, against Cape Verde and Egypt, respectively.Their progress from the quarterfinals was secured by a 3-1 win against Switzerland, but that game – much like the Cape Verde win – required extra time.The 2-1 semifinal win against England saw a second great turnaround at the tournament, having trailed the Egyptians 2-0 with 11 minutes of the 90 remaining.Players to watch: Argentina not only threw the kitchen sink at England, but they also threw the extent of their attacking talent that started on the bench.Along with Lautaro Martinez, coach Lionel Scaloni threw on Rodrigo De Paul and Nicolas Gonzalez. Although Messi is irreplaceable, the Argentinians are likely to need the full extent of the resources around him if they are to claim the win.At the other end, Lisandro Martinez remains the main man at the heart of the defence.Spain – European champions and world’s number one teamPrevious World Cup appearances: 17
