Messi & Co stand a chance to complete greatest-ever World Cup run with a win in Spain vs Argentina final; here's how
Lionel Messi-led Argentina will face Spain in the final of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on July 19 at the MetLife Stadium in New York.
Argentina were set to face Spain on March 28, 2026 at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar in a highly-anticipated "Finalissima". Unfortunately, the clash between the 2024 Euro champions Spain and 2024 Copa America winners Argentina was cancelled due to the Middle East war involving Israel.
Call it a destiny or luck by chance, the same two teams are facing each other in the final of the FIFA World Cup 2026 at the MetLife Stadium in New York on July 19. While Argentina are the defending champions, Spain are seeking their first World Cup trophy after 2010.
For the record, Spain have conceded only once in this World Cup. On the other hand, Argentina have scored a staggering 19 goals through the tournament so far. In fact, this is only the second time Spain and Argentina are facing in a World Cup encounter. The last time they played was in 1966.
While Argentina are seeking to become the third team after Brazil and Italy to defend their World Cups, there's another record that could make the Latin American country complete the greatest-ever World Cup run.
History beckons Messi's Argentina
So far, Argentina have won seven out of their seven matches in the FIFA World Cup 2026, thus making the second team after Brazil to achieve this milestone. In 2022 Argentina played seven matches including the final and won six of them. Their only loss came against Saudi Arabia in group stages.
With the introduction of the expanded 48-team World Cup from this year, a team playing in the summit clash will will play a game more. Similarly the FIFA World Cup 2026 final on Sunday will become Spain and Argentina's respective eighth matches. Argentina could become the first team to win all their eight World Cup matches in a single edition.
Teams to win all World Cup ties in single edition
| Teams | Edition | Matches won |
|---|---|---|
| Uruguay | 1930 | 4/4 |
| Italy | 1938 | 4/4 |
| Brazil | 1970 | 6/6 |
| Brazil | 2002 | 7/7 |
Argentina's road to FIFA World Cup 2026 final
Argentina started their 2026 campaign with a commanding win over Algeria in Group J, with Lionel Messi scoring his maiden World Cup hattrick. They topped the group with wins over Austria and Jordan to enter the knockouts. In the knockouts, Argentina survived thrillers against debutants Cabo Verde and Egypt before knocking out Switzerland, and England to enter final.
| Round | Opponent | Result | Venue |
| Group Stage (J) | Algeria | 3–0 | Kansas City Stadium, Missouri |
| Group Stage (J) | Austria | 2–0 | Dallas Stadium, Texas |
| Group Stage (J) | Jordan | 3–1 | Dallas Stadium, Texas |
| Round of 32 | Cabo Verde | 3–2 | Miami Stadium, Florida |
| Round of 16 | Egypt | 3–2 | Atlanta Stadium, Georgia |
| Quarter-finals | Switzerland | 3–1 | Kansas City Stadium, Missouri |
| Semi-finals | England | 2–1 | Atlanta Stadium, Georgia |
| The Final | Spain | TBD | New York New Jersey Stadium |
Spain on verge of world record
Spain have been the most dominant defensive sides in the tournament. Having conceded just one goal en route to the final, the La Roja are on verge of setting a new record of conceding fewer goals by a champion side. Provided Spain do not allow Argentina to score any goal and win the final, they will become the first team to be crowned world champions, conceding just one goal throughout the entire tournament.
Earlier, France (1998), Italy (2006), and Spain (2010) hold the record of winning the World Cup squad, having allowed only two goals.
Get all updates from FIFA World Cup 2026 here, along with FIFA World Cup 2026 Complete Schedule and FIFA World Cup 2026 Points Table.
About the Author
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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