Argentina and Spain face off in the 2026 World Cup final, with Lionel Messi seeking another title against a Spanish side unchanged from its semifinal win.
Argentina fans gathered for a rally in New York's Times Square on the eve of the World Cup final, a match that pits Lionel Messi and defending champion Argentina against Spain's defensive juggernaut in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Both nations' supporters showed their colors ahead of the highly anticipated showdown. The final features two European and South American powerhouses with distinct styles: Argentina's flair and experience versus Spain's youthful possession-based game. The stadium's playing surface, a hybrid grass field with synthetic fibers, has received mixed reviews from players during earlier matches, described as fast and rigid, conditions that may favor Spain's ball-control tactics.
Both teams have not played on the field yet, but staff have worked to improve it after rain on Saturday. Spain entered the final with an unchanged lineup from the semifinal victory over France, trusting the same eleven that includes teenage sensation Lamine Yamal and goalkeeper Unai Simón protected by defenders Pedro Porro, Aymeric Laporte, Pau Cubarsí and Marc Cucurella.
The midfield trio of Fabián Ruiz, Álex Baena and Rodri supports the front three of Yamal, Mikel Oyarzabal and Dani Olmo. Argentina made a couple of adjustments from their semifinal win against England, with Gonzalo Montiel replacing Nahuel Molina at right back and Rodrigo De Paul coming in for Giuliano Simeone in midfield, while Nico González took Leandro Paredes's spot.
Emiliano Martínez starts in goal behind a back four of Montiel, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez and Nicolás Tagliafico, with the dynamic midfield quartet of De Paul, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister and González tasked with supporting Lionel Messi and Julián Álvarez in attack. Political figures also weighed in on the final.
Former President Donald Trump, when asked by Fox News to predict a winner, refused to pick sides but praised Messi profusely, calling his assist in the semifinal perfectly executed and saying it is hard to bet against the Argentine star. The Spanish soccer federation promoted its motivational motto "¿Y por qué no?
" - "And why not? " - through social media videos featuring players from the 2010 World Cup-winning squad and scenes of fans in New York wearing the red jersey.
Meanwhile, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill said she does not expect to meet Trump during the final but described the security plan for his stadium visit as robust. She also admitted she is rooting for Argentina and tried her hand at Spanish, acknowledging her accent needs work.
In a separate development, former Spain defender Joan Capdevila, who started the 2010 final, was finally granted entry into the United States after a visa issue stemming from a 2015 exhibition in Iran was resolved following his appeal to Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on social media. ",
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