It’s time to wrap up our live coverage of the final, and of the 2026 World Cup. On behalf of all the liveloggers and editors, thanks for your company and emails throughout the tournament.

I’ll leave you with David Hytner’s report of a deserved victory for Spain in the final. Goodnight!

It ended almost as Gianni Infantino and Donald Trump had planned. Earlier on a seemingly endless World Cup final day the trophy had, in a scene perfectly of a piece with the event’s excess, been let out of a Louis Vuitton trunk. Now they shuffled up to the podium together and presented it to a beaming Rodri, fumbling the moment slightly when Trump lingered for Spain’s team photo. Within moments they had made their exit, golden glitter sparkling on a bobbly pitch and the reverberations from a football event of unprecedented scale pulsing far beyond this concreted mini-state in New Jersey.

How to make sense of a heady, intoxicating, often deeply strange tournament that at once appeared fulsomely welcoming and chillingly distant? It concluded with a disorientating fever dream beneath a bright blue American sky, football appearing a sideshow for much of the afternoon even if the game did not exactly help itself. Anyone straining for a parable could, if they wanted, take pleasure in Spain’s success. This was ultimately the triumph of a collective idea in a World Cup nurtured to indulge the cult of the individual.

More from Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni

I feel sad. One could say many things about how we got here, but it’s not worth it. Endless thanks to these players who once again took us to the final.

If they give everything the way they did today, it sets a great example for ‌the people and for our country. You have to pick yourself up again. When you leave everything like that, it’s very hard to find fault with anything.”

[On Lionel Messi] He’s 39 years old now. It was crystal ​clear for me that he was going to play up until he decided not to.

I hope that everyone feels proud of him, of what he’s achieved because he’s the best football player ever to set foot on a pitch. I have no doubt about this, and what he did during this World Cup was incredible. But also what he did before this.

[On his own future] I will talk to the president. I believe it’s only ‌fair that I can ​take this time for myself ​to think this through. I never thought I would get to this place and it’s wonderful.

In order to continue, you need a great deal of things, resetting your mind, rebooting, creating a group like this again – that is very difficult. I am very sorry.

Neither the approach of yet another enervating heatwave, nor the prospect of heading to work on Monday morning, was going to keep Madrileños huddled indoors when the World Cup, and the stifling streets of the capital, were there for the taking.

With the temperature at 9pm nudging 32C, people across the city and the wider region filled bars, parks, fairgrounds and bullrings to drink, to stripe the streets red-and-yellow with their rojigualda flags, and to test their lungs, their nerves, and, as it turned out, their boredom thresholds.

In the capital itself, the faithful descended on a giant screen by the river Manzanares and trooped into the cavernous concrete confines of the 15,000-capacity Movistar arena. Most, however, appeared to have made for the Plaza de Colón to watch the game under the statue of Christopher Columbus, for whom the square is named. Overhead, sharp against a bright blue July sky, flew the largest flag in Spain: a vexillological behemoth that measures 21m by 14m and weighs 35kg.

He wasn’t wrong, was he?

Charles De Ketelaere is the answer to a future quiz question. He was the only man to score against Spain at this World Cup in 12 hours of football. They never went behind, they were only taken to extra-time in the final. In the parlance of our times, they’re a beautiful, brilliant football team.

Luis de la Fuente is 65 years old and has never won a major club competition as a manager. He is also one of the top 20 managers of all time.

Lionel Scaloni’s reaction

They (Spain) were better, that’s the truth. But I’ll hold on to an enormous memory of what they’ve done, of what it’s worth to get this far.

We’re great in victory and we have to be great in defeat. Today we’re showing that we know how to lose. We lost the match and we’re owning it.

But that doesn’t mean we’ll stop remembering everything we did to get here.

Rodri, a giant of a human being and a pretty good footballer too, reflects on Spain’s triumph and his comeback from injury

I cannot express it with words. It’s like we’re in a cloud.

It’s been a very tough time. I just want the new generations to see my example as an opportunity – when you go down you can rise again.

This is my philosophy my entire life. Of course, sometimes things go well, things they go wrong.

But always the positivity I said to the lads before the game – we have to go for the game.

We need to face them. We have to look to the eyes and see it. We won this game and then life gives you the World Cup or not.

But we were brave and I was brave in that moment.

Thanks to Francis Fowles for this cracking stat (assuming it’s correct)

Only four players have won the World Cup, European Championship, European Cup/Champions League and Ballon d’Or:

1. Franz Beckenbauer

2. Gerd Muller

3. Zinedine Zidane

4. Rodri

Ed Aarons’ player ratings

Pau Cubarsí Got away with his early error and didn’t put a foot wrong after that. Incredible that he is still only 19. 8

Mikel Merino’s verdict

Unbelievable. It’s the perfect moment for us – we’re such a golden generation with these young players who give everything for this country, for these fans.

It was a game about concentration. We knew we were a better team in terms of football. The pitch was dry and they know how to make the game difficult to you. I think the team was outstanding today and, yeah, we deserved it.

When you are facing a low block, you have to attack the box with bodies on the line and control the transitions. Luckily we have very good crossers of the ball, big threats in the box. That’s the old-school way of scoring goals and we did it.

[What’s the superpower of this team?] The connection. The family we are.

”I thought it was crap,” Wayne Rooney surmised on BBC after enduring the half-time show. Amid tense final, the interval was always going to be prominent, theoretically bringing light to the shade. Why the two UK broadcasters felt the need to transmit the karaoke session in full we will never know but at least the pundits suffered through it, too.

Ally McCoist said it had “mentally scarred” him as someone in attendance, unlike many of his ITV colleagues who were sat in Brooklyn. The studio has rightly earned them kudos, creating a home alongside the Hudson River with the Brooklyn Bridge providing the dramatic backdrop. With the game only an expensive train ride away, it was a surprise to see Roy Keane, Gary Neville and Ian Wright in familiar surroundings.

Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino were booed as they took to the field for the presentation ceremony of the World Cup final on Sunday.

Trump arrived at the stadium on Marine One, with the president’s helicopter first flying over the stadium about 45 minutes before kick-off. There was little reaction from the crowd as the aircraft flew over the stadium, with Marine One landing nearby a few minutes later. The president was seated in a glassed-in section of luxury seats on the west side of the stadium shortly before kick-off, along with the Fifa president, Gianni Infantino. Other dignitaries and former players sat nearby, including Spain’s king, Felipe VI, Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, and Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum.

Playing on the grandest stage in sport for the last time, Lionel Messi seemed almost certain to provide one last memorable moment in this World Cup final.

Yet as the sun ducked behind the west stand of New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday, it became clearer and clearer that Argentina had lost the magic they had carried through this tournament. And as Spain gradually wrested control, one was left to confront reality: Messi, and Argentina, had finally run out of time, having long since given in to their worst instincts in a 1-0 defeat.

The lead picture here is a thing of beauty. The rest are pretty good too.

“I actually thought it was a pretty decent game, as it goes,” says James Humphries. “A clash of styles, in that one team had one, and also some drama and some quality defending. Or has the game gone to such an extent that we think 6-4 is a serious scoreline?”

Chill out Jose.

“Shout out to 2010 on the bad World Cup finals list?” says Tom Hopkins. “The Dutch did disgrace themselves in slightly more entertaining fashion that day though.”

Fair point, but at least the villains (sic) had some genuine chances in that game. Off the top of my weary bald head, I’d say the worst men’s World Cup finals, in order, are probably 1990, 2026, 1994, 2014, 2010.

A worrying thought as a tepid first half drew to a close: was the half-time show going to be better than the football? This was a slog. Argentina could not match Spain’s possession approach but they had ways to level the playing field. There was physicality from Lionel Scaloni’s side, whose aim was to kill the spectacle before taking control in the second half, and they were allowed to take it to the limit by the Slovenian referee, Slavko Vincic. Alexis Mac Allister could have been booked for an early foul on Dani Olmo and the leniency, together with a pitch not conducive to playing flowing football, allowed Argentina to disrupt Spain’s passing game, creating the conditions for one of the most tedious World Cup finals.

“Where are we placing this one in the list of all time worst World Cup finals?” writes Kári Tulinius. “My first instinct is to put this second behind 1994, but at least that gave us the tragedy of Roberto Baggio’s penalty miss. I’m already struggling to remember anything about this game.”

I’m not sure 1994 was as bad as we remember I can’t see 1990 ever being surpassed.

Roy Keane on Rodri

He’s got the full package – his decision making, being an option for his team-mates, when to play one- or two-touch. He’s a big strong boy, helps out with set-pieces; he seems like a really top pro.

If you’re talking about the greatest midfielders in the history of the game, he has to be up there. He turns up all the time. Every time he gets the ball, he makes the right decision. The guy’s amazing.

The World Cup roll of honour

• 5 Brazil

• 4 Italy, Germany

• 3 Argentina

• 2 Uruguay, France, Spain

• 1 England

Now, Spain players are crowding around a replica shirt with a difference – there are two stars above the crest. Time to hand you back to Rob Smyth for more reaction.

Rodri hoists the trophy aloft and the ticker-tape cannons go off. The World Cup is handed around players, then to manager Luis de la Fuente, before coaching staff are invited on to the podium en masse. Every person touching that gold trophy is fulfilling a lifelong dream – even the Spanish royal family look a touch overawed.

King Felipe VI, the king of Spain, is also in the queue of dignitaries lined up to congratulate the world champions. Trump tells Rodri “you’re my favourite player” – and then stops the Spain captain for another chat as he’s about to lift the trophy.

Even Infantino looks embarrassed at this point, but Trump insists on standing alongside the Spain players, who eventually focus on the business of celebration.

As Spain head up to collect their medals – and the trophy – here are Ed Aarons’ player ratings from the final. Rodri 9, Enzo Fernández 3.

Argentina go up and collect their silver medals, and it’s all too much for Lionel Messi. Having worn a downbeat, bemused expression since the final whistle, the tears now start to flow. It’s almost certain that the greatest player of all time has played his last World Cup match, and that’s sad whoever you support.

The Golden Boot goes to Kylian Mbappé, although he’s not here to receive any award in person. The France forward scored 10 goals, with Messi unable to overtake him in this year’s chart or the all-time standings today.

I should also point out that the president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, and the Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, are also here for the presentation. We’ll start with the referees, but now they’re handing out some individual prizes …

Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino make their way on to the pitch, to plenty of jeers and whistles from the crowd. On the BBC’s coverage, Wayne Rooney labels Infantino’s white trainers “stupid”, which I enjoyed.

We’re getting close to trophy time; there is a huge replica of the World Cup in the centre of the pitch, and now Sergio Ramos is bringing out the real thing. A perfect choice, Ramos: he’s Spanish but also loved a bit of skulduggery in his playing days.

Here is David Hytner’s match report from the New York New Jersey Stadium, as we will never have to call it again after tonight.

Thanks, Rob. Shall we have a look at the scenes over in Spain?

A replay of Ferran Torres’s goal shows that he was being tracked by Simeone, who then pulled up on the edge of the area with an injury. That gave Torres the space he needed to score.

That was pretty intense, so I’m going to take a break and hand over to Niall McVeigh for a bit.

Like hydration breaks and Donald Trump’s ability to get refereeing decisions overturned by simply phoning up the president of Fifa and complaining, the final half-time show is an innovation of the 2026 World Cup that comes with a degree of controversy attached. For one thing, its existence automatically means the World Cup final breaks the International Football Association’s 15-minute half-time mandate.

For another, its obvious antecedent lies in the NFL’s Super Bowl, where the half-time entertainment has mushroomed over the decades from a few marching bands to one of the big pop events of the year. To its detractors, it smacks of America not so much embracing the World Cup as imposing itself upon it.

Modern sport, we’re told, is all about the individual. Your boy has 422 gazillion Instagram followers, blah blah blah.

Spain and Paris Saint-Germain, the best teams in the world, beg to differ. The best team usually wins the World Cup, but rarely has the T-word been as operative in 2026.

Spain finally broke Argentina’s dogged resistance in extra time to win the men’s World Cup for the second time with a 1-0 victory.

The Barcelona winger Ferran Torres scored the only goal of a disjointed game that was almost ruined by Argentina’s deliberate spoiling tactics, which backfired when they were reduced to 10 men for extra time by the late dismissal of Enzo Fernández for two yellow cards.

Spain have become the first team to hold the World Cup in both men’s and women’s football. Their triumph at this tournament brooks no argument. They’re the purest football team in the world and the best.

It took them a long time to break down a fiercely resilient Argentina, but Ferran Torres assumed the Iniesta role by scoring the winning goal in the 106th minute.

There’s some aggro in the middle of the pitch, and apparently Paredes is throwing punches. What a bedside manner.

120+1 min Five minutes of added time. Blimey.

117 min Messi collects a bouncing ball 25 yards out and wallops a shot that smashes Merino straight in the coupon, knocking him off his feet. That’s Argentina’s first attempt at goal all night; their xG is now 0.04.

Play is stopped while Merino is checked for concussion.

116 min What the hell was that? Williams beats Molina on the left, moves into the area and tries to find Torres with a showboaty flick when a simple low pass would suffice. He makes a total mess of it and knocks the ball out of of a goalkick.

If Spain don’t win the World Cup, he’ll regret that for the rest of his natural-born days.

115 min Messi takes a short corner on the right, gets it back and curls a big, dipping cross that briefly startles Simon before landing on the roof of the net.

115 min Ferran Torres is a very good player, not a great one. But he is a few minutes away from joining the best club in world football.

These are the men who have scored the winning goal in a World Cup final: Angelo Schiavio, Alcides Ghiggia, Helmut Rahn, Gerd Muller, Jorge Burruchaga, Andreas Brehme, Andres Iniesta, Mario Gotze.

114 min: Torres has a goal disallowed. It looked very tight as he ran through from the halfway line to beat Martinez, but the semi-automated technology confirmed the decision straight away.

111 min Mac Allister is booked for a foul on somebody or other. Argentina look semi-resigned to their fate.

110 min That was Spain’s 20th attempt at goal, 12 on target. Argentin- ah you know that.

108 min If Argentina win the World Cup from here, they will go down as football’s greatest mentality monsters.

Spain go in front 37 seconds after the restart. Pedro Porro’s deep cross from the right is headed back deftly by Nico Williams. Ferran Torres runs onto the ball, 10 yards out, and slams it into the roof the net with his left foot!

106 min The last 15 minutes of the World Cup final are under way.

“‘After review,” writes Andrew Goudide, “nobody wins the World Cup this year’.”

“Once, just once,” says Andy Flintoff, “I’d like to see a top team with non-inverted wingers. Argentina have put five across the width of the penalty box and Yamal and Williams are turning right into them the moment they get the ball.”

105+2 min Torres pushes Tagliafico over off the ball. Spain are starting to lose the head, which is not the way to beat this Argentina team.

105+1 min Three minutes of added time. On the disallowed goal, the foul looked pretty soft but I guess it falls under the umbrella of referee’s call – had it been given on the field, I doubt VAR would have intervened.

105 min There’s some aggro on the touchline, after which Lionel Scaloni is booked.

104 min Since you asked, Andres Iniesta’s winner in the 2010 final came in the 116th minute.

102 min: Argentina substitution Marcos Senesi replaces Julian Alvarez, which means Argentina will be playing 5-3-Messi for the rest of the game.

101 min Yamal shoots miles wide at the end of another patient Spain move. This is going to penalties.

100 min Fair to say these teams have contrasting records in World Cup penalty competitions.

• Argentina W6 L1

• Spain W1 L4

99 min: Triple substitution for Spain Martin Zubimendi and Eric Garcia replace Rodri and Aymeric Laporte.

97 min: No goal Ah, I missed Merino accidentally standing on Otamendi’s foot. That’s why it was ruled out.

93 min Pedri’s flat cross brushes the head of Williams and is pushed away by the diving Martinez. A fairly comfortable save; I think Williams might have been offside anyway. But Martinez is racking up the saves: that’s his 11th. Argentina haven’t even managed a shot off target.

91 min Extra time is under way. No more substitutions.

Spain have dominated every facet of the game. They lead too, but only when it comes to men on the field: it’s 11-10 after Enzo Fernandez was sent off after receiving two yellow cards. Argentina have been so ineffective that victory on penalties is surely inevitable.

90+6 min Paredes, who is also on a yellow, trips Ferran Torres 23 yards from goal. That could have been another red card. I don’t think it quite reached the threshold but it wasn’t far away.

90+5 min Now Messi is claiming that Marc Cucurella covered his mouth while talking to him. That’s quite interesting because he ignored it when Declan Rice did something similar the other day.

We haven’t seen a replay but play has resumed so Cucurella has presumably been cleared.

90+5 min After complaining for 60 seconds or so, Enzo Fernandez finally leaves the field.

90+3 min The free-kick eventually leads to a poor low cross from Simeone, too close to Simon. Spain break and Williams whacks a shot from 20 yards that is beaten away by Martinez. And then…

90+2 min Messi runs into Laporte and goes flying. Argentina’s players complain but the referee settles for a free-kick.

90+1 min “One of those World Cup knock-out games when you pray from 80 mins that there won’t be an undeserved late winner,” writes Adam Hirst, “because this match deserves ET and the pain of pens.”

90+1 min There will be four minutes of added Spain possession.

90 min Rodri breaks forward, into space, only to shoot over from 25 yards.

Spain have been much the better team – but Emi Martinez still hasn’t had a really difficult save to make.

89 min “Will Argentina’s first shot on target be their first or second penalty?” asks Phil Moseley.

88 min “Well,” says Alan Baverstock, “it’s a waste of time bringing Merino on, he couldn’t possibly do it again.”

Lightning never strikes thrice, eh.

87 min Merino clips a pass into the area for Torres, who drags a shot on the turn well wide. That was a very tough chance.

85 min Fernandez blocks Spain from taking a quick free-kick, but does it in an ostensibly clumsy manner that makes it hard for the referee to give him a second yellow card. Argentina are living dangerously in more ways than one.

83 min Hate the match, love the gallery.

82 min Enzo Fernandez is booked for dissent, then sarcastically applauds the referee. Careful now.

81 min Laporte heads straight at Martinez after another chipped cross from the byline. He was under pressure so it wasn’t an easy chance.

80 min “Hi Rob,” writes Michael O’Connor. “How, I wonder, would Jorge Valdano describe this match?”

79 min Messi watch: see 102 min.

78 min Spain have had 10 shots, seven on target. Argentina: zilch. Nada. Bugger all.

77 min Pedri scurries to the edge of the area and forces a shot that is comfortably saved by Martinez. He was off balance after a slight push in the back.

Moments later Cubarsi hits a crisp shot from 25 yards that is almost pushed into his own net Martinez. It was straight at him but he dived too far and couldn’t make a clean save as a result.

75 min: Double substitution for Spain Mikel Merino, who has already beaten Portugal and Belgium in this World Cup, and Nico Williams come on for Alex Baena and Dani Olmo.

Spain (4-1-4-1) Simon; Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri; Yamal, Merino, Pedri, Williams; Torres.

Argentina (4-1-3-2) E Martinez; Molina, Otamendi, Medina, Tagliafico; Paredes; Simeone, Enzo, Mac Allister; Messi, Alvarez.

73 min “Nice of them to replay the final from USA 94,” writes Dan Gill. “Wake me up when Viola comes on.”

72 min These are the updated teams.

Spain (4-1-4-1) Simon; Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri; Yamal, Olmo, Pedri, Baena; Torres.

Argentina (4-1-3-2) E Martinez; Molina, Otamendi, Medina, Tagliafico; Paredes; Simeone, Enzo, Mac Allister; Messi, Alvarez.

70 min: Double substitution for Argentina Facundo Medina and Giuliano Simeone replace Cristian Romero and Rodrigo De Paul. Blimey.

69 min It’s time for the last hydration break of the World Cup.

68 min Since you asked, the infamous Argentina team of 1990 had one attempt at goal in the final. West Germany had 23.

65 min “While the MBMs are wonderful, the addition of a poet laureate elevates the art form to new heights,” writes Daniel Stauss. “Three cheers for Ollie!”

64 min Olmo’s shot from 22 yards is fumbled round the post by Emi Martinez. It was straight at him by bounced awkwardly and startled Martinez when it bounced out of his grasp. The spin could have taken it into the net but it bounced wide of the post.

63 min These are the updated teams.

Spain (4-1-4-1ish) Simon; Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri; Yamal, Olmo, Pedri, Baena; Torres.

Argentina (4-1-3-2) E Martinez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico; Paredes; De Paul, Enzo, Mac Allister; Messi, Alvarez.

62 min: Double substitution for Spain Pedri and Ferran Torres replace Fabian Ruiz and Mikel Oyarzabal.

61 min Yamal’s free-kick hits the wall.

60 min Argentina look like they’re waiting for the cold shower of going 1-0 down. They’ve offered nothing in attack, in total contrast to that devastating last half-hour against England.

Pedro Porro is fouled 25 yards from goal by Paredes, who has been booked and needs to be careful. The referee tries to spray his foam, which explodes in the face of Alex Baena. “Better than the half-time show, that,” says Lee Dixon on ITV.

59 min “My introduction to World Cup finals was as an 8 year old watching in black and white in 1966,” writes Brian Withington. “Can’t recall much about the half-time show but I do remember needing a trip to the garden for fresh air after the dastardly last minute West German equaliser.

“Fortunately the boys from West Ham were eventually able to make it their third Wembley trophy on the trot and proper order in the universe was duly established. Couldn’t imagine 60 years later watching this shower of shi colourful spectacle with England still waiting for a second golden star.”

58 min: Argentina substitution That’s Montiel’s last contribution; he’s replaced at right-back by Nahuel Molina. He didn’t look injured but it’s hard to be sure.

56 min Olmo gets the byline and cuts the ball back towards Cucurella. Montiel tracks him excellently and lumps the ball behind for a corner.

55 min The best move of the match from Spain falls down when Fabian Ruiz’s return pass to Oyarzabal is cut out. In truth Oyarzabal probably should have played the ball to Yamal rather than slipping a straight pass into Fabian Ruiz in the area, but it was a lovely move.

54 min “Argentina are holding onto 0-0 until the 85th minute,” says Mark Childs. “Is there a better way to unleash Messi?”

Make sure you’re 1-0 down in the 85th?

52 min Rodri goes down off the ball, which leads to a bit of pushing and shoving. Dani Olmo also ends up on the floor and Paredes is booked.

Replays show that Paredes blocked Rodri with a stiff arm. Not sure whether he was booked for that or whether he was the one who pushed Olmo.

51 min Okay, maybe not: Facundo Medina, known to his friends as Funky Cold, was getting ready to come on but has now sat back down.

50 min Argentina love overcoming adversity but this is ridiculous: they’re preparing another substitution, which can only be because of injury.

49 min “Well, that’s was genuinely lovely,” writes Matt Dony. “And I’m obviously talking about the poem rather than the match. I hope Ollie never grows up to be a cynical, grumpy football fan. (As if there’s any other type!)”

48 min Argentina win their first corner of the game. Nothing comes of it, but it’s a start.

46 min Emi Martinez makes a comfortable save from Baena after 43 seconds of the second half. Not for the first time, Spain won the ball high up the field, resulting in a shot from 22 yards by Baena.

46 min After a 27-minute break, the second half is under way. Argentina have made another substitution: Leandro Paredes for Nico Gonzalez. These are the revised teams.

Spain (4-2-3-1) Simon; Porro, Cubaris, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Ruiz; Yamal, Olmo, Baena; Oyarzabal.

Argentina (4-1-3-2) E Martinez; Montiel, Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico; Paredes; De Paul, Enzo, Mac Allister; Messi, Alvarez.

“Bob,” writes Mac Millings. “I’m still not over England’s collapse on Wednesday, yesterday didn’t cheer me up, and the lack of action in this game ain’t helping, either - making this the perfect time to present my All-Time Frustration and Annoyance XI.

1. Tony You’ve Got to Be Kidding Me-ola

2. Unbelievabel Xavier

3. Nathan FF sAké

4. Serginho Pest

5. Gonzal Oh, Come Mon! tiel

6. John Terryble

7. Bobby I Can’t Take Any Moore

8. Denzel Damnfries

9. Pau Cubarsey

10. Ryan Aggravationberch

11. Lamine Your Mum

More half-time emails

“I love that Rodri plays with his shirt tucked in. Class (am I showing my age?)” – Norman Guy.

“The 19th-minute entry, a good example of total $hit. I guess this is an in joke. Pity I have no idea what it is talking about. Sorry I have other things in my life” – Steve Taylor.

“How big is your TV screen? Can you post a picture of yourself please? I am a Guardian fan, though” – Annu.

Half-time postbag

“Ah, I see they’re showing the muppets. And also Jim Henson’s famous creations, etc” – James Humphries.

“Can’t they have a two-hour concert with a penalty shoot-out at half-time, instead of this dross. Much more of this will cause me to lose the will to live. Out, at least, the will to carry on watching” – Asia Narcizo.

“Yamal did not take his chance and the game has grinded into a scrappy match-up. Super Merino will be the one to win this game for Spain. He’s the one who can unlock this game” – Imad Sabi.

“Spain must be a nightmare to play against, like being suffocated by a boa constrictor. As its victim breathes out, the snake tightens the grip, making it more and more difficult to breathe. When Spain advance, they occupy every bit of space their opponents leave unguarded. It’s undoubtedly impressive, but hard to warm to as a neutral” – Kári Tulinius.

“Do we name this the bathtub derby” – Krishnamoorthy V.

“At a watch party for refugees in our community in the Pacific Northwest, and every time Lamine Yamal touches the ball everyone under the age of 20 goes berserk. Messi will draw more attention in the second half, to be sure, but I think it’s hard to underestimate the enthusiasm he has within the Muslim youth community in particular…” – Chris Amirault.

“Your referencing Barry Davies’ commentary from that ‘91 FA Cup Spurs Arsenal semi-final makes me think of my favourite Davies line from that game, after Lee Dixon had upended (I think) the late Justin Edinburgh. ‘Well, if Lee Dixon’s had a worse-timed tackle this season I’m glad I didn’t see it. That really is a dreadful tackle for an international full-back’” – Martin Gamage.

“I’d like to reassure Niall Mullen about the credibility of this World Cup. As the great TV philosopher G. Costanza once said: It’s not a lie if you believe it” – Giovanni Cafagna.

Half-time entertainment

Those of you who followed our liveblog of Switzerland v Canada may remember a charming half-time poem written by Ollie, aged. 12. I’m delighted to say he’s written another poem for the final.

What a sensational World Cup!
Two more games to wrap it up.
48 teams, now down to four.
Football’s Big Apple munched down to the core.

Argentina v Spain for World Cup glory!
To finally end this thrilling story.
Messi’s on the for the Golden Boot
But will Yamal finally score that beaut?

In the semis, Spain made France look poor.
They managed to shut out that deadly front four.
Spain’s midfield held on to the ball
And Mbappé just couldn’t answer the call.

Meanwhile, in the other game,
Thomas Tuchel took some blame
For putting five in at the back
When we really needed to attack!

England’s run ended in tears
To the deafening sound of Argentine cheers.
Rooney, Hart and Richards dismayed
But admired the way that Messi played.

Right now I feel I need a day off
To recover from that third place play-off.
What a game! Jude’s skills were sick!
That banger from Rice! Bukayo’s hat-trick!

Spain v Argentina: the biggest match this year!
Hopefully it brings us lots to cheer.
Who will win it? I don’t know…
Please just give us a hell of a show!

He means the football, Gianni.

It’s time for the half-time show. I’m going to to take a break but you can follow it all with the great Tom Lutz. See you back here in a couple of hours for the second half.

45+2 min “Telegram from the Department Of The Bleeding Obvious, but this match is crying out for a goal, as that will surely open it up,” writes Guy Hornsby. “Spain have all the possession and momentum, despite the stop/start nature so far. A goal feels likely from only one team too, but how many times has that blown up in our know-it-all faces, Rob?”

At last count, 714141325235234590.

45+1 min “Hello from a packed bar in NYC which I thought was leaning Argentina but has slowly revealed itself to be going for Spain,” writes Rachel Clifton. “Trump and/or Infantino getting booed hard every time they are on screen.”

It’s not their fault the first half has been crap!

45 min Four minutes of added time.

44 min: Argentina substitution Nicolas Otamendi replaces Lisandro Martinez, who has pulled something and needs to go off. To go off injured in a World Cup final must be devastating for any footballer. Martinez, tough as old boots, is impassive as he limps round the touchline.

43 min Cucurella uses the overlapping Baena by not using him – hat tip Barry Davies – and has a pop from the edge of the area. It rolls a few yards wide of the far post.

Spain have been the better team, no question, but Argentina will be comfortable with how little Emi Martinez has had to do. The deeper this goes, the more Argentina winning mentalty will kick in. They’ve got the collective will of Keyser Soze.

42 min I knew they shouldn’t have bothered with the football.

41 min De Paul has a cross blocked by Cucurella after a relatively rare Argentina attack. Spain break and Lisandro Martinez is booked for an entirely cynical foul on Oyarzabal. Might as well get it out of the way.

39 min Baena’s quick pass forward is stabbed round the corner by Fabian Ruiz. Olmo dummies it – what a lovely player he is – and Oyarzabal drives a low shot from 20 yards is comfortably saved by Emi Martinez. He didn’t quite get hold of it.

38 min “I’ve got a theory that if it wasn’t for his hair, Cucurella would be more widely recognised as a mostly very calm, solid defender,” writes James Humphries. “Case in point: he cleared up that dodgy ball from Porro very neatly, but because of his barnet it looked like a spaniel hurling itself enthusiastically into a river in pursuit of a tennis ball. You watch, if he gets a short back and sides and becomes a manager it’ll all be unfussy, sort the defence out and the rest will follow solidity.”

There’s definitely something in that. It’s probably both his hair and his hair-trigger temper, but he’s a seriously good player.

36 min It’s a pretty bitty game. I was going to say that suits Argentina more than Spain, but after Wednesday I’m not so sure.

35 min “I think you’re being a bit modest after tipping Spain to win it all along,” says Andrew Goudie. “Did you ever have any doubts?”

Do I look like somebody who is susceptible to crushing doubt, whose entire existence has been defined by it? Do I?

33 min Don’t shoot the messenger, but this is rubbish.

28 min The match is back under way, and with any luck we’ll have some excitement in the second quarter.

26 min Here’s something to read during the hydration break. Reading is good for the soul.

25 min Time for the ad break.

24 min Messi beats Rodri with a delightful touch and is pulled back. Rodri could easily have been booked for that, but he wasn’t so what’s your point?

22 min Yamal’s early shot remains the only attempt at goal, on or off target, by either side. Possession is roughly 63:37 in Spain’s favour (sources vary).

21 min It’s not a classic, folks. But nor was the 2022 final at this stage and look how what turned out.

19 min Argentina are starting to leave a bit on some of the Spain players. Nothing extreme, just the occasional reminder that physical contact has the capacity to be uncomfortable.

19 min “A shaky start for Scotland,” says Simon McMahon, “but just wait until Mac Allister gets going...”

Jose Luis Brown scored in the 23rd minute of the 1986 final, so keep ‘em peeled.

17 min De Paul’s driven free-kick just evades Gonzalez, who timed his run well and was in on goal. The angle made it tough for De Paul to play a pass like that.

15 min Messi receives a pass 45 yards from goal and is eased to the canvas by Baena. Apparently that was his second touch of the game.

14 min Olmo rolls around after being fouled by the lunging Mac Allister near the halfway line. Not a great tackle, though not as bad as the reaction of the Spain bench suggested. The referee decides against a yellow card.

14 min Messiwatch: nothing much apart from that Unai Simon interception. He’s quiet, too darned quiet, etc.

13 min “There have been so many innovations in this World Cup,” writes Niall Mullen. “The match countdown; the advertising breaks; the Friday night at ‘spoons music; the political interference; the interminable celebrity cut-away shots; the scandalous treatment of some teams, fans, and one referee; the dynamic pricing; the half-time show, the god awful rings; and the gnawing sense that unaccountable people have corrupted beyond recognition the thing you love in service of their own power and wealth while laughing at the stupidity of your inelastic demand.

“On the plus side…”

12 min Fabian Ruiz’s cross from the left is turned behind a little awkwardly by Lisandro Martinez. Spain are dominating possession now; they look so relaxed, as if they’re playing a pre-season friendly or something.

10 min The pitch looks terrible and is playing weirdly. The ball is bobbling loads. Needs a watering during the hydration break.

9 min That Emi Martinez save was better than I first realised. He was diving to his right when the ball deflected off Lisandro Martinez, but he adjusted his feet very quickly to block it. Yamal didn’t quite get hold of the shot though.

8 min Spain are into their work now, with and without the ball. Their pressing is outstanding.

3 min Argentina have had most of the ball in the first few minutes. Nothing dangerous, nothing vicious, but their players will feel better for having some assured touches early on.

2 min “I just want to get this over with,” says Charles Antaki. “I don’t mind who wins (actually I do very much mind who wins), so long as Emi ‘Mr Antics’ Martínez makes some hilarious blunder, preferably resulting in an own goal. Also: take your pick of any of the less Queensberry rules Argentinian players getting sent off. Yes I know this is a deeply unsporting position, thanks.”

For the avoidance of doubt, and before anyone peppers my inbox, I couldn’t care less who wins.

1 min Six minutes later than advertised, Argentina kick off from right to left as we watch.

Some red-faced bampot is shouting. Any chance of some football?

“Rodri and Nico Williams are the two Welshest-sounding players in the whole tournament,” says Matt Dony. “So, come on, Spain!”

The two captains Rodri and Lionel Messi shake hands in the centre circle. We’re only four minutes late, which in the circumstances represents a minor triumph.

“Nice New Jersey tribute from Robbie Williams,” writes my colleague Gregg Bakowski, “what with him coming dressed as Paulie Walnuts and all.”

Oh!!!!

The footballers of Spain and Argentina (remember them?) are in the tunnel. I suppose a delayed kick-off in the World Cup final is nothing new; remember Rene van de Kerkhof’s bandage in 1978? Or was it Willy?

Now Tom Cruise is out on the pitch, telling us that football “turns strangers into friends”. I’d like to hear him proffer that opinion on a football special circa 1982.

“It’s a bit of a surprise,” writes Tim Woods, “that Folarin Balogun hasn’t made either of the starting line ups.”

We’ll be updating this little beauty throughout the day

“I’m provisionally giving this tournament a solid six out of ten, rising to seven if the final is a classic,” writes Simon McMahon. “VAR checks and interventions from the leader of the free world notwithstanding, of course. I fancy Scotland strongly to bring it home tonight and no, I’m not still drunk after Dundee United channelled prime Pep’s Barcelona when spanking Arbroath 3-0 at Tannadice last night in the Scottish League Cup. May the best team win! Bring on the hydration breaks! Come on Scotland!”

Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger are now singing on stage. I thought they might sing ‘Desire’ so it’s a major surprise to hear Robbie launch into his verse from Punk’s Dead by Soft Play.

Never mind a delayed kick-off. Do we really need to bother with the game? Why should football get in the way a perfectly good festival of star-spangled horse pucky?

The second closing ceremony (sic) is late, and there is already speculation that the kick-off time will be delayed. Football: it’s one big beautiful game.

“Kudos on the biggest gig in the MBM calendar,” writes Daniel Barnett. “As per Sid’s piece on hot chocolate and croissants, can you talk us through your pre-match ritual? Any special foodstuffs or superstitions? Or just plenty of Tin? Good luck!”

I’m not sure anybody needs a peek behind that particular curtain.

ITV are reporting that there are growing queues outside the ground due to a glitch in the ticketing system. Great stuff.

With apologies for any tone-lowering, perceived or actual, here’s a bit of news from the England camp.

Thirteen of the past 14 World Cup and European Championship finals – men’s and women’s – have been won by the side who played their semi-final first. On the other occasion the semi-finals were played on the same day. Spain’s men started the streak, beating Italy 4-0 in the final of Euro 2012. Argentina have also benefited, enjoying four days rest to France’s three going into the 2022 final. This time it is Spain who have had an extra day’s rest.

“These pre-match and half-time shows are just ludicrous,” writes Joshua Keeling. “Football drifts ever further from focusing on the actual game.”

Not now mate, I’m checking some transfer rumours.

The night before the biggest day of their lives, the Spain players who were about to win the 2010 World Cup gathered in the Da Vinci Hotel in Sandton, just north of Johannesburg, drank hot chocolate, ate chocolate croissants and talked. The night before the biggest day of their lives, the Spain players seeking to emulate them 16 years later will gather in the MC Montclair in New Jersey and talk too, but there won’t be any chocolate this time. Some rituals are not to be repeated.

“I think the nutritionists killed that one for us!” Mikel Merino says, hopping off the bus, freshly tuned up for the final, and heading into a tactics room at the Melanie Lane training ground, where Spain’s penultimate day of preparation is about to begin. “We used to do the Cola Cao and cakes in the under-19s and under-21s, copying the seniors, but not any more. Everyone has their own routine, but the main thing is to normalise it all: just another game, doing something we know how to do, that we’ve done since we were five years old and that we love. Treat it like something to be enjoyed, another day in our lives.”

A reminder of the Golden Boot state of play …

… and the all-time top men’s World Cup scorers

“Maybe Lionel Messi has picked up lots of babies, maybe it’s chance, but for those of us who have faith, who believe in something beyond, ‘chance’ is God’s pseudonym when he doesn’t want to sign his name,” Luis de la Fuente says. “In life, everything happens for a reason. Sometimes it’s true that the circle isn’t closed, but in my view there’s something else, something … I don’t know, mystical, spiritual.”

Contemplate the scene, gaze upon the image of this World Cup, and you may be inclined to agree with Spain’s coach, to reach out and touch faith. How else to comprehend this? You will have seen the picture and will certainly see it again, and still it won’t make sense.

The man who took it, the photographer Joan Monfort, says he didn’t believe in destiny before but does now. In it, Messi, the greatest footballer of all time, bathes an unknown baby with a cherubic smile. The child, chosen at random and surrounded by bubbles, is Lamine Yamal. The footballer De la Fuente says was “touched by God’s wand” was baptised by him too.

On Sunday they face each other in the World Cup final.

“With a half-time interval that is so long,” writes Colin Livingstone, “will the performers get a hydration break?”

That’s the worst rider ever.

“I can’t be the only one who has been looking desperately for an episode of World Cup Daily - not least to hear Barry G’s hot take on the English triumph,” writes Lars Bøgegaard. “Do you know what has happened to Max, Barry and the rest?”

While I’d love to report a liquor-based fiasco to rival some of the old Guardian Unlimited shockers, they had a richly deserved day off and will be back after the final.

Facundo Iglesia reports from Buenos Aires

Argentines can’t be accused of tempering their trademark intensity – or their superstitions – in the hours leading up to the World Cup final. On the eve of the match, thousands of people, mostly parents with their children, flocked to Buenos Aires’ Parque Rivadavia to trade or buy Panini stickers, racing to fill their albums just in time. Many tucked stickers of the Spanish players into freezers, an accessible, popularised bit of witchcraft meant to curse the opposing squad.

Now, on the day of the final, under a persistent drizzle, hundreds are waving flags and blowing vuvuzelas at the Obelisco – the city’s designated meeting point to celebrate the national team, whatever the result may be. The streets leading to the monument are packed with fans and street vendors hawking flags, face paint, and plastic ponchos.

María de las Nieves López, a Paraguayan pizzeria owner who traveled from Ezeiza, a city 35 kilometers outside the capital, wasn’t fazed by the rain or the lack of a screen near the monument. “It’s Leo [Messi]’s last one. We wanted to come and cheer him and the rest of the squad on - to support them from here. We’ll watch the game on our phones if we have to,” she said. López, who has lived in the country for 25 years, carried a 20-year-old doll she credits with bringing “good luck,” because it “had watched all the games”.

“Well, we’ve been winning so far,” she said. “I promised her that, if Argentina wins the final, I’ll buy her a new dress.”

We may be set for a delayed kick-off in New Jersey. Sky Sports News’ Rob Harris has tweeted the following:

World Cup final delays already. Closing ceremony was due to start now 90 minutes before kickoff but hasn’t started. Secret service at entrances on security due to Donald Trump being due here.

If you want to follow the off-field nonsense in greater detail, and with a generous helping of dry one-liners, Tom Lutz is your friend.

Andrew Beasley has been crunching the key numbers ahead of tonight’s game.

“I’m glad that New Jersey (the Garden State!) is getting its moment in the sun,” chirps Peter Oh. “As for the performers, the only one I’ll unreservedly root for is Gustavo Dudamel. What a legend!

“Messi’s not a bad conductor himself though. I wonder if he’ll wring one more tear-stained, soul-stirring finale out of his troupe. A performance full of ... [looks at the photo of young Messi holding wee Lamine Yamal in the baby tub] ... bathos. I mean pathos.”

It’s bloody annoying that Emma Hayes is one of the best managers in the world, because it means we only hear from Emma Hayes the analyst – also one of the best in the world – every couple of years. This preview of the World Cup final is just brilliant.

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni, captain Lionel Messi and goalkeeper Emiliano “Dibu” Martinez met with the media on Friday in New York City, two days ahead of Argentina’s second consecutive World Cup final appearance.

Few considered Argentina – who are built around an aging core and led by a 39-year-old talisman – to make it this far. Yet the team has put together a string of heart-stopping, chaotic performances, capped off by a memorable and unexpected semi-final win over England, to set a date with Spain on Sunday.

In Spain, El Albiceleste will face a team that is in some ways the anti-Argentina. There is very little chaos in their style of play, which is centered around possession and a tightly organized defensive setup that rarely errs. If Argentina’s path to the final has been pure chaos, Spain’s has been the polar opposite, almost entirely devoid of chaos and a bit boring.

Yet Scaloni does not delude himself. In Spain, the Argentines will face their tallest test yet, a team that made tidy work of the World Cup favorites in the semi-finals.

“If Spain leaves the hotel, I am already concerned,” said Scaloni. “Once they are on the bus and they leave the hotel, I am concerned. They are a great team. Everything concerns me about Spain.”

Tom Lutz and I spent the early hours of the morning engaged in a ferocious straw-drawing competition. I lost and will be covering the actual football. He won and will be covering everything but.

But first! We’ll have a closing ceremony starting 90 minutes before kickoff, starring streamer IShowSpeed and various celebrities who were last cutting edge at least 25 years ago, including Nicole Scherzinger; Robbie Williams and Tom Cruise. There is a 90% chance Cruise will jump off something high (Gianni’s forehead?).

This is Argentina’s seventh World Cup final – and their sixth in the last 13 tournaments, which is a helluva hit rate. No other team has reached as many finals since the admittedly arbitary cut-off point of 1978.

• 1930 Uruguay 4-2 Argentina

• 1978 Argentina 3-1 Netherlands (aet)

• 1986 Argentina 3-2 West Germany

• 1990 West Germany 1-0 Argentina

• 2014 Germany 1-0 Argentina (aet)

• 2022 Argentina 3-3 France (aet; 4-2 pens)

Spain have appeared in only one final before this competition. You know the one, it was barely yesterday.

• 2010 Spain 1-0 Netherlands (aet)

There’s plenty of live sport to follow on the site, including the climax of The Open and a record-breaking runfest at Lord’s.

Luis de la Fuente says he will not man-mark Lionel Messi in the World Cup final, even though the Argentina captain has scored eight times and provided four assists and the Spain coach’s own experience suggests it might not be a bad idea.

In the buildup to Sunday’s final in New Jersey, De la Fuente told the story of the first time he encountered Messi, 22 years ago, when the Argentinian was a 16-year-old coming through at Barcelona, he was the youth-team coach at Sevilla and the under-19 cup draw brought them together in the last 16 in May 2004 at the Miniestadi.

“I’m going to tell you something funny about Messi,” De la Fuente said. “Look, I met Lionel Messi when I was coaching at Sevilla in division de honour [the national under-19 league] and we played a Copa del Rey game against Barcelona. We went to Barcelona. They had spoken very well about a boy called Messi. So, we put a man-marker on him. In the 70th minute it was 0-0. When they gave a yellow card to the player who was marking him, I took him off. And in 15 minutes, Messi scored four goals.”

The thick smoke that has engulfed New York and much of the eastern seaboard over the past few days has drawn wry smiles in Dallas and Los Angeles, where locals will watch on with a sense of schadenfreude when the World Cup final takes place in the New York New Jersey Stadium (usually known as the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey) on Sunday.

The Dallas and Los Angeles stadiums, which were passed over when Fifa awarded the final in February 2024, are more impressive venues without the same climatic risks as New York, which was chosen because of its global appeal and favourable timezone for European television audiences.

You can also follow the build up on our news blog, which contains photographtic proof that things are livening up in NYC

“One of the big questions for those of us in the UK is how to watch the final,” writes David Wall. “For all that has been made about ITV’s coverage with their New York studio and one of two excellent pundits, I think their coverage has been less than the sum of its parts, as usual. They’ve not had people other than the commentators in the stadiums so all that studio showed was that it was quite windy in New York sometimes.

“We’ve not even seen them out and about seeing what the fan culture was like on the ground in the city. And the pundits have been hampered by adverts and over-use of VTs as always. What is the point of hiring Emma Hayes and Gary Neville if you barely give them any time to discuss tactics?

“One of the most interesting bits of coverage I saw through the whole tournament was at half-time in the Netherlands v Sweden game when Thomas Frank, Ellen White and Micah Richards spent the full break dissecting and discussing the fluctuating 45 minutes that we’d all watched. It didn’t matter that they were in a studio in Salford.

“Plus, the BBC have Joe Hart who is turning out to be an increasingly interesting pundit (albeit I wouldn’t want to watch a match with him, from the clips they’ve shown of him pacing around and shouting he must be the most irritating of watchers). So I’ll be tuned to the Beeb tonight (as well as following the MBM of course).”

It’s almost all over. No more hydration breaks, no more obligatory pans of the TV cameras to Hollywood A-listers, or dread of the crushing inevitability of English disappointment. The Fifa World Cup 2026 is at an end, after another month of planet-straddling drama laced with significance and symbolism, both on and off the pitch.

Before the kick-off between Spain and Argentina on Sunday evening, the result is already clear: football’s greatest prize is more than a sporting event; it is a geopolitically charged economic juggernaut.

After a month of fixtures, billions of dollars have been spent in an extravaganza of consumerism and corporate largesse, fuelled by advertising spend, ticket sales, merchandise, gambling, travel and hospitality. Fifa estimates that the tournament will add $40.9bn (£30.4bn) to global GDP, with the US – ahead of Canada and Mexico as the leading economy

Two countries are generating powerful, cross-border momentum in football. Spain represent the leading footballing culture, radiating their influence across the globe. Argentina possess a distinct identity that shapes the South American continent. Consequently, the World Cup is witnessing the perfect final.

The architect of Spain’s vision is Johan Cruyff. He brought the 4-3-3 formation and a specific ideology to Barcelona. A cadre of tactical purists, such as Pep Guardiola and Unai Emery, refined his approach into a philosophy that has defined the playing style of the entire league, all youth squads and the national team for nearly two decades.

Its principles include ball-oriented defending, clearly defined positions and roles, a high level of organisation, and technical, combination-based football. Eleven players operate as a unit, moving like a swarm.

Every World Cup produces cult heroes, icons who make it possible for us to sit back and start misty-eyed recollections by saying: “Do you remember Roger Milla/Saeed Al-Owairan/Keisuke Honda/Paul the Octopus?” Well, the Geopolitics World Cup has not let us down! Here are 10 cult heroes who’ve emerged from this tournament.

After scoring the goal that secured Argentina’s place in the World Cup final, Lautaro Martínez burst into convulsive sobs during the touchline interview. He spoke of the first pair of trainers his father bought him and of how his mother kept making his bed when he moved to a club pension house in another city as a teenager. Every single day. Martínez said that mattered to him more than any goal, any cup.

Argentina’s head coach, Lionel Scaloni, said he was a bit worried after England’s goal but never stopped believing in his players. “They grew up in environments where they were afraid of nothing, in which they’ve always been the best at what they do,” he said. “As small children they competed and everyone expected so much of them; responsibility doesn’t weigh them down.”

In the 37 minutes between England going ahead against Argentina and falling behind, they had 12% possession. It’s fair to assume that in the World Cup final Spain will provide a rather different challenge. They do not suffer the Mafeking tendency of the English, seeking to re-enact some famous siege every time they take the lead. The finalists have averaged 64% possession so far in the tournament. Spain could hardly be more different to England: their way is not of panic but of process.

There is a clearly defined Spanish style, as there has been since Vicente del Bosque replaced Luis Aragonés as Spain manager in 2008, and arguably before. In that, perhaps, there is hope for England. Spain once were even greater underachievers but Aragonés inspired the revolution against the furia roja orthodoxy. The result has been three Euros and a World Cup in the past two decades, with perhaps another to come on Sunday.

The patience and emphasis on ball retention can at times become predictable – no system or style is ever without flaw – but Luis de la Fuente has reinvigorated the juego de posición model. A view of the alternative in Atlanta on Wednesday, a team pathologically unable even to attempt to retain possession, is instructive of how valuable can be the capacity not to lose the ball.

Early team news/speculation

It’s hard to see Spain changing much after such a comprehensive semi-final win over France. Lamine Yamal and Pedro Porro missed training as a precaution but are expected to be fit.

Argentina were more impressive against England when Rodrigo De Paul and Nicolas Gonzalez came onto the field. It won’t be a surprise if De Paul starts in place of Giuliano Simeone.

Sixty years or hurt never stopped us dreaming that Spain and Argentina would meet again at the World Cup.