The Story that Unites Lionel Messi with the Players of Spain: World Cup 2026 & Halftime Show

Lionel Messi will play his third World Cup final this Sunday, July 19, at the New York/New Jersey Stadium, 20 years after his World Cup debut.  Lionel Messi will play his third World Cup final this Sunday, July 19, at the New York/New Jersey Stadium, 20 years after his World Cup debut.  La Roja is, in fact, one of the youngest squads in this 2026 World Cup, with an average age of 26.73 years, a fact that fuels this story of generational admiration.  Borja Iglesias is the oldest player on the Spanish squad at 33, and his history with Messi is almost symbolic. He made his professional debut in 2012 with Villarreal C, the same season in which Messi had his most prolific year as a goal scorer, netting 91 goals.

While one was taking his first steps, the other was already consolidating one of the best individual seasons in the history of the sport.  The case of Unai Simón, Spain’s starting goalkeeper, has a different nuance: as a professional, he suffered the goalscoring prowess of the Rosario native. Messi scored a brace against him in Barcelona’s 3-2 victory on January 6, 2021, and scored again, this time from a free kick, in a 2-1 win on January 31 of that same year.  There are even more unique cases, such as those of Pau Cubarsí and Lamine Yamal, who weren’t even born when the striker debuted with the Argentine national team. With Yamal, there’s also an image that has remained in the collective memory: the UNICEF photograph in which Messi is holding him as a baby, long before the winger himself became one of the rising stars of world football as pictured below. 

Others had a closer relationship with the number 10 in the Barça youth academy. Marc Cucurella played alongside him at the beginning of his time with the FC Barcelona first team, while Dani Olmo, Alejandro Grimaldo, Fermín López, and Gavi were developed in the Catalan club’s youth ranks during the Argentine’s golden era.  Pedri, on the other hand, was directly his teammate; he shared the field for 47 matches and received his support during his first steps as a professional, something he emphasized during this World Cup.  Teammate, rival, or childhood idol: regardless of the personal connection each player has with him, the Spanish squad is intimately familiar with Messi’s significance. However, this Sunday, for the first time, he will no longer be a talent to admire or a role model, but the opponent to beat in the World Cup final.

The 2026 World Cup final: Spain vs Argentina Sunday July 19 at 2pm

The 2026 World Cup final will take place this Sunday, July 19, between Spain and Argentina at New York-New Jersey Stadium in the United States. The match will be broadcast starting at 2:00 pm.  Immediately after the first half of the match ends, the halftime show will begin.  According to FIFA, the lineup of artists includes Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira, Gustavo Dudamel and the group BTS; the event will also feature the artistic direction of Chris Martin, leader of Coldplay.