Inter Milan's World Cup final tradition since 1982 stays intact after Lautaro Martinez starts for Argentina vs Spain
Lautaro Martinez is the only player from Italian Serie A club Inter Milan to feature in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final between Spain and Argentina. He was the lone Inter Milan representative in the 2022 decider too in Qatar.
Lautaro Martinez kept Inter Milan's FIFA World Cup final tradition since 1982 stayed intact after the forward was named in the Argentina starting XI against Spain on Monday at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. In 11 editions since 1982, 11 Inter Milan players have started in the World Cup finals, with Martinez being the lone player in the 2026 final.
In the 1982 World Cup final, five Inter Milan players started for Italy - Giuseppe Bergomi, Alessandro Altobelli, Gabriele Oriali, Ivano Bordon and Giampiero Marini - as they lifted the title beating West Germany 3-1.
German Bundesliga side Bayern Munich also had the same as Inter Milan since 1982, until their run ended in 2026 semifinals, when England were knocked out by Argentina. England captain Harry Kane plays for Bayern Munich at the club level.
Inter Milan players at World Cup final since 1982
| Edition | Players |
|---|---|
| 1982 | Giuseppe Bergomi, Alessandro Altobelli, Gabriele Oriali, Ivano Bordon, Giampiero Marini (Italy) |
| 1986 | Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (West Germany) |
| 1990 | Andreas Brehme, Lothar Matthäus, Jürgen Klinsmann (West Germany) |
| 1994 | Nicola Berti (Italy) |
| 1998 | Youri Djorkaeff (France); Ronaldo (Brazil) |
| 2002 | Ronaldo (Brazil) |
| 2006 | Marco Materazzi (Italy) |
| 2010 | Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands) |
| 2014 | Rodrigo Palacio, Hugo Campagnaro, Ricardo Álvarez (Argentina) |
| 2018 | Ivan Perišić, Marcelo Brozović (Croatia) |
| 2022 | Lautaro Martínez (Argentina) |
| 2026 | Lautaro Martínez (Argentina) |
Argentina are seeking their fourth title and becoming the third team after Brazil and Italy to defend their World Cup title. If Argentina win it will be their fourth title, which would put them level with Germany and Italy and one behind record five-time champions Brazil. Spain are aiming to win a second World Cup after their triumph in 2010.
Argentina make three changes in playing XI
Meanwhile, Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni made three changes to their starting line-up against Spain as the holders attempt to become the first team since 1962 to retain the trophy. Gonzalo Montiel, who scored the winning penalty in the shootout in the 2022 final win against France, comes in at right-back in place of Nahuel Molina for Lionel Scaloni's Argentina.
The other changes see Rodrigo De Paul return in midfield, where Nico Gonzalez also starts, with Leandro Paredes and Giuliano Simeone making way. Argentina reached the final by defeating England 2-1 in Wednesday's semi-final in Atlanta following a dramatic late comeback.
Messi, 39, is appearing in his third World Cup final and starts the day on eight goals at the tournament, two behind France's Kylian Mbappe in the race for the Golden Boot. The Argentina skipper has scored 21 goals overall at World Cups, one behind Mbappe's record of 22.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente named the same line-up that started the 2-0 semifinal victory against France. Lamine Yamal, who can become the third-youngest player ever to win a World Cup, just six days after his 19th birthday, starts on the right wing for the defending European champions.
Spain vs Argentina starting line-ups
Spain: Unai Simon; Pedro Porro, Pau Cubarsi, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella; Rodri (capt), Fabian Ruiz; Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Alex Baena; Mikel Oyarzabal
Argentina: Emiliano Martinez; Gonzalo Montiel, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolas Tagliafico; Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Nico Gonzalez; Enzo Fernandez; Lionel Messi (capt), Julian Alvarez
Get all updates from FIFA World Cup 2026 here, along with FIFA World Cup 2026 Complete Schedule and FIFA World Cup 2026 Points Table.
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Koushik lives and breathes sports. After transitioning from his own aspirations of becoming a professional athlete, he successfully channeled that lifelong passion into a prolific career, documenting the action both from the sidelines and the editorial desk. With over eight years of industry experience, Koushik joined LiveMint as a Deputy Chief Content Producer in 2024, following impactful stints at Outlook India, India.com, Sportskeeda, Women’s CricZone, and OrissaPOST. A 2017 Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, Kolkata, Koushik has reported on high-profile events including the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, Ranji Trophy, FIH Pro League, FIH World League finals, the Indian Premier League, and Lionel Messi’s historic visit to Kolkata in 2025. <br><br> While he possesses a versatile command over all sports, he finds his niche in cricket, specializing in breaking news, long-form interviews, global sporting updates, and high-energy live blogs. Koushik’s professional perspective was further sharpened through the 2020 AIPS Young Reporters Programme, where he gained invaluable insights from renowned international journalists, including Keir Radnedge and Riccardo Romani from the United Kingdom, and Martin Mazur from Argentina. Currently based between Kolkata and Delhi, Koushik remains at the forefront of the breaking developments that shape the public sporting discourse. When he isn't tracking scores or deconstructing plays, he can be found exploring new landscapes on his travels or channeling his creative energy into the kitchen. <br><br> If you have a compelling story to share or know an individual who deserves the spotlight, please reach out via email at <a href="koushik.paul@htdigital.in">koushik.paul@htdigital.in</a>.
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