Spain vs Argentina World Cup Final Preview

Spain vs Argentina sets up a tasty World Cup Final clash, but who will win? Find out how they got here, their best players, and more in this preview blog!

After over 100 hard-fought games have been played out across the 2026 tournament, the biggest one has finally arrived – Spain vs Argentina in the World Cup Final!

Will Spain be able to become back-to-back Euros and World Cup winners? Will Argentina win two World Cup tournaments in a row?

Either result would be an incredible achievement, and each team will be motivated to achieve their own piece of history and add their name to the list of World Cup winners once more.

To give you a better picture of the momentous clash between these two giant footballing nations, the following blog runs through their routes to the final, key players to look out for, and a few things we can expect to see during the match. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know ahead of Spain vs Argentina!

Overview of Spain vs Argentina

Number one and two in the FIFA Rankings will be going head-to-head in the most anticipated game of football in the world.

Spain have established themselves as a strong defensive unit, having conceded the fewest goals all tournament (1), whereas Argentina have proven to be a true offensive threat, scoring more goals than any team at the tournament (19).

The final will be a closely contested game with what looks like an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object, but who will come out on top?

Heading into the game, Spain are slight favourites to lift the trophy 8/13 , though Argentina’s chances are more than favourable 13/10 . At the time of writing, Spain have a 42% chance of winning in 90 minutes, with Argentina’s chances sitting at 27%, leaving a 31% chance of a draw in normal time. With both nations boasting quality throughout their squads, including Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal, any one of their players could step up and produce a huge moment.

The odds suggest that both teams are likely to score in the game 19/20 , meaning we will likely have an interesting watch on our hands! Looking at the stats, the Albiceleste are also the most carded team, while La Roja have received the third-most cards. Considering the added pressure of a trophy on the line, the odds for Spain vs Argentina indicate a high chance of bookings in the game!

Each team’s routes to the World Cup Final

They may be in the World Cup final now, but how did each team reach the biggest game in world football? Below is a recap of the journeys Spain and Argentina have had at the tournament:

Spain’s route to the World Cup Final

Spain’s route to the World Cup Final got off to a slow start after a 0-0 draw to underdogs Cabo Verde, with goalkeeper Vozinha raising his profile after a top goalkeeping performance to keep the scores level.

Bouncing back from their shock draw, La Roja thumped Saudi Arabia 4-0 in a game that was much closer to the levels we expect from them. Star winger Lamine Yamal grabbed his first goal of the tournament, alongside Mikel Oyarzabal netting a brace to open his account for the tournament as well.

Their final group game against Uruguay was close, but they edged the contest 1-0 after Alex Baena scored the winning goal just before half-time, sealing their position as group winners.

Austria were expected to offer a tougher challenge in the round of 32, but Spain disposed of them easily. Oyarzabal netted another two goals and Pedro Porro found his shooting boots, grabbing one for himself too.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal were up next in the knockouts, facing Spain in the round of 16. In what proved an extremely tight contest, the substitute Mikel Merino scored a last-gasp winner in the 91st minute to win the game 1-0 for La Roja.

The quarter-final then saw them take on Belgium, with the Red Devils becoming the first and only team to score a goal against them. Charles De Ketelaere headed home to make it 1-1 just before half-time, giving Spain their toughest match to this point. Again, though, Mikel Merino cropped up with another late goal to make it 2-1, tapping home after substitute keeper Senne Lammens spilled a shot from Pau Cubarsi.

The 2018 World Cup winners were their semi-final opponent, with many even picking France as favourites to go through. Despite their stacked attacking lineup, Les Bleus couldn’t lay a glove on Spain, who controlled the match from minute one. After an Oyarzabal penalty in the 22nd minute, Spain were dominant and sealed a 2-0 win after Pedro Porro made a darting run into the box, slotting the ball past an onrushing Mike Maignan.

Now, they’re set to face the World Cup holders, Argentina, and will be looking to win the Euros and World Cup back-to-back – repeating the feat of the legendary Spanish team between 2010 and 2012!

Argentina’s route to the World Cup Final

Argentina’s route to the World Cup Final was a very different one, beginning much stronger than Spain’s after a convincing 3-0 win over Algeria in their group stage match. The goals were scored by none other than Lionel Messi as he opened his tournament account with a stunning hat-trick.

Messi carried on his astounding form by netting twice in the Albiceleste’s second group match against Austria. Scoring both goals in a 2-0 win showed early signs that both him and Argentina were ready to go again after winning the previous tournament.

Jordan were the final group stage opponent for Argentina, and were comfortably defeated 3-1. Giovani Lo Celso and Lautaro Martinez put Argentina 2-0 up inside the first half an hour, with Jordan pulling one back ten minutes into the second half. In the 80th minute, however, Messi scored his sixth goal of the tournament to seal the win and his nation’s spot at the top of the group.

The round of 32 provided a much tougher challenge than Argentina expected, as Cabo Verde took them to extra time. After going 1-0 up through another Messi goal, Argentina looked like they would pull away, but Cabo Verde never let them and scored an equaliser in the 59th minute. Lisandro Martinez looked like he had grabbed the winner in extra-time but a stunning whipped finish from Sidny Lopes Cabral went into the top corner, bringing the score to 2-2. Cabo Verde did go on to score an own goal in the 111th minute, though, sending Argentina through as 3-2 winners.

The following knockout round then put them up against another African nation in Egypt. Again, they were pushed hard, even going two goals down by the 67th minute and looking like they would be knocked out! The Albiceleste showed great determination, with goals from Cristian Romero and Messi bringing them level by the 83rd minute. Then, a 93rd minute strike from Enzo Fernandez won them the match in the most dramatic fashion.

The quarter-final saw them go to extra time again against Switzerland after it was 1-1 following the conclusion of the 90 minutes. Though the Swiss team proved tough to beat, goals from Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez saw them progress as 3-1 winners.

The semi-finals then put Argentina up against their old rivals England and gave them another tough encounter. The first half was closely matched, but the Three Lions went 1-0 up after ten minutes of the second half. After some effective substitutions and more attacking intent, Enzo Fernandez scored a long-distance strike to level the game five minutes from time. Then a late header from Lautaro Martinez clinched a 2-1 win in the 92nd minute, sending them to their second World Cup Final in a row!

Their last opponent of the tournament will be the reigning Euro champions Spain. Motivated by the opportunity to win two World Cups in a row, Argentina will be more than up for the challenge.

Key players to watch in the World Cup Final

Both teams undoubtedly have immense quality, being stacked with the top talents from the world’s top leagues and footballing divisions. So you know who to keep an eye on during the game, here’s a rundown of each team’s best players.

Spain’s key players for the World Cup Final

We can’t talk about important players for Spain without mentioning their star boy Lamine Yamal. Bringing both pace and technicality to the wing, he’s a dynamic threat down La Roja’s right-hand side, offering creativity and a goal threat. Yamal is one of the favourites to win the Golden Ball 22/1 and will be wanting to further his case in the final. Considering he could also win both the Euros and World Cup by the age of 19, he’ll be more than motivated. A win in the final would also boost his odds of winning the Young Player of the Tournament award 53/100 .

Their midfield maestro Rodri will also be a threat for Spain, dictating play from the middle of the park as he has done throughout the tournament. The defensive midfielder is integral to them maintaining control of the match as he showed against France in the semi-final and will likely carry his form into the final as well. Like Yamal, Rodri is another top contender to win the Golden Ball 5/1 and if he keeps up his world-class performances or crops up with a big moment, he has every chance.

Finally, Mikel Oyarzabal is La Roja’s top scorer at the tournament after scoring braces against Saudi Arabia and Austria and converting his penalty against France. His goal tally of five puts him among the top scoring players at the 2026 World Cup and makes him Spain’s most likely source of goals heading into the match 7/5 .

Argentina’s key players for the World Cup Final

Unsurprisingly, Argentina’s success will largely hinge on the performance of Lionel Messi in the final and whether he can step up to the plate again. After his brace in the 2022 final, it would be no surprise to see him crop up with more goals, especially as he is one of the players most likely to win the Golden Boot 10/11 , already being on eight goals. Considering his elite performances throughout the entire tournament, he’s also got the biggest chance of winning the Golden Ball 13/100 .

Their goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez is another who can step up in pressure moments. With his performance in the 2022 final going down in history after making a last-minute save from Kolo Muani and denying Kingsley Coman in the shootout, he’s certainly capable of being the difference between winning and losing a final – especially if the game goes to penalties!

Though he’s not a regular starter, Lautaro Martinez has been one of Argentina’s most important players throughout the tournament. After making substitute appearances in the last three games against Egypt, Switzerland, and England, he’s scored twice and assisted once – proving to be impactful off the bench. This means that, aside from Messi, he’s the most likely Argentinian player to score in the match against Spain 11/5 .

Outright World Cup betting markets to keep an eye on

With the final now approaching, there’s no better time to be looking at the betting markets that you can get involved with. And with so much still on the line, the stakes are even higher as we head into the tournament’s conclusive game. Below are some of the outright World Cup betting markets that are worth keeping an eye on for the World Cup Final:

Tournament Winner

One last showdown between Spain and Argentina will decide it all, with the winner becoming World Cup champions. Will Spain win the Euros and World Cup back-to-back, or will Argentina make it two in a row?

Top Goalscorer

With the leading goalscorer, Lionel Messi, playing in the final game of the tournament, can he notch any more goals to earn himself the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot?

Golden Ball

Three of the top contenders to be crowned the tournament’s best player head into the final and the winner of the game could sway the decision. Will Messi come up with some more moments of magic, or can Lamine Yamal or Rodri be the game-changers?