Ways to watch Argentina vs Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final match

Messi’s Argentina National Team Faces Spain in World Cup Final

Sports analyst Dan Dakich shared insights about the FIFA World Cup final featuring Argentina and Spain, emphasizing Lionel Messi’s pivotal role. He predicts Argentina will emerge victorious and commended Messi’s enduring excellence. The conversation also shifted to WNBA’s Caitlin Clark, addressing a physical play issue that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver referred to as “political football.” Dakich attributed some friction among WNBA players to jealousy.

And just like that, everything boils down to Spain and Argentina.

These two soccer giants are set to compete for the title when they clash at MetLife Stadium at 3:00 PM ET on Sunday. Fans can catch the game on FOX.

If Argentina triumphs, it will mark the first time since Brazil’s back-to-back wins in 1958 and 1962 that a country has captured consecutive World Cups. Additionally, Argentina would join the ranks of Italy, which achieved this feat in 1934 and 1938.

For Argentina, the road to the final was nerve-wracking. In their semi-final against England, they struggled for 85 minutes without scoring. However, Messi orchestrated a remarkable comeback.

England’s Anthony Gordon struck first with a stunning finish, putting his team ahead in the 55th minute. The Argentine defense experienced panic when Harry Kane initiated a counterattack, threatening their stronghold.

Yet, this turned out to be England’s sole opportunity in the match. Argentina’s relentless pressure remained a constant since then, though it took time for them to breakthrough.

Messi ultimately found Enzo Fernandes just outside the box, and the 25-year-old cleverly equalized, beating England’s goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

In a dramatic finish, Lautaro Martínez, who had come off the bench, scored the decisive goal in stoppage time. In the 92nd minute, Messi’s brilliant pass into the penalty area set up Martinez for the winning header, igniting wild celebrations among Argentine supporters and securing the comeback.

This victory wasn’t Argentina’s only turnaround during the tournament; in the Round of 16 against Egypt, they netted three goals in the final 13 minutes to overturn a 2-0 deficit.

On the other side, Spain’s journey to the final was marked by a less dramatic yet dominant performance.

They remained resilient defensively, shutting out six opponents and allowing only one goal throughout their matches, with a close call against Belgium in the quarterfinals, where they won 2-1.

In the semifinal showdown against France, Spain capitalized quickly on an early error. A mistake by veteran defender Lucas Digne led to a penalty as he fouled Lamine Yamal in the 22nd minute. Mikel Oyarzabal converted the penalty, giving Spain a solid lead.

Pedro Polo later doubled Spain’s lead in the 58th minute, creating a sharp breakthrough, much to the dismay of French fans. Despite their efforts, France couldn’t penetrate Spain’s defense, leading to a well-deserved victory for the Spaniards.