+ Spain-Argentina, tonight, at 9:00 PM
Metlife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
TV4/TV4 Play/P4 Radio Sport
+ “The King vs. the Prince”
Lionel Messi, 39, against Lamine Yamal, 19. The World Cup final offers a symbolic meeting between one of the greatest footballers in history and the presumed superstar of the future. The final is extra tantalising given their first meeting, when they were photographed for a UNICEF advertising campaign while Yamal was a baby. Now, when they meet for the first time on a football pitch, it is in a World Cup final.
+ Attack vs. Defense
Attack-happy Argentina against defensively strong Spain. Argentina is the tournament's most goal-happy team and has scored a whopping 19 goals up to the final, while Spain's defence has been rock solid. The team has only conceded a single goal in the tournament, which came in the quarter-finals, when Belgian Charles de Ketelaere ended Spain's goalless draw.
+ Yamal bandaged – but expected to play
Both Lamine Yamal, who appeared to have a bandage around his left thigh, and Pedro Porro, the scorer in the semi-final against France, trained alongside the rest of the team during Thursday's training session. National team captain Luis de la Fuente expects both to be fit for the final. In Argentina, Facundo Medina remains a question mark, having not played since the round of 16 against Egypt.
+ Donald Trump on site
The White House confirmed on Thursday that US President Donald Trump will be in attendance to watch the final. He is also expected to present the trophy to the winning team.
The president's presence will crown the most watched, safest and most successful World Cup in American history, said press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
+ Strikes at the end of matches
Argentina's run to the knockout stages of the World Cup has been phenomenal. Of the team's eleven goals from the round of 16 onwards, nine have come after the 79th minute. Cape Verde, Egypt, Switzerland and England have all felt the dreaded pressure from Argentina.
+ Could become the third nation to take the double
Argentina has the opportunity to become only the third nation in history to defend a World Cup title. Italy was the first to do so in 1934 and 1938, and Brazil won the World Cup in both 1958 and 1962. If Argentina wins Sunday's final, it can be crowned world champion for the fourth time. Spain's only World Cup triumph came in 2010.
+ The March meeting was cancelled
Spain and Argentina were scheduled to meet in an international match in Doha in March, but the match was cancelled due to the unstable security situation in the region at the time. The match has been dubbed the Finalissima, a meeting between the reigning European champions and their South American counterparts.
+ The trio can become a quintet
Only three teenagers in history have been trusted to start a World Cup final in football. Pelé is the youngest ever, he was just 17 years and 249 days old when Brazil defeated Sweden 5-2 in 1958. The other two are the Italian Giuseppe Bergomi, in 1982, and the Frenchman Kylian Mbappé, in 2018. It is worth noting that all three became world champions. In Sunday's final, Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí have the opportunity to join the trio.
+ Final judge from Slovenia
Slovenian Slavko Vinčić, 46, will be in charge of the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina. Vinčić has extensive final experience, having previously refereed the 2022 Europa League final and the 2024 Champions League final. The final will be his fourth match in the championship. He has previously refereed Brazil-Morocco, Jordan-Algeria and the round of 16 between Mexico and Ecuador.
