2026 World Cup Sunday 2pm: A Final with an Unpredictable Outcome
Everyone has their favorite to win the 2026 World Cup this Sunday, July 19th, in New Jersey, but when you think about it rationally, the uncertainty goes beyond sentiment. Spain and Argentina have everything they need to lift the most coveted trophy in football, making it difficult to predict a winner, but when the Slovenian referee, Slavko Vincic, blows the starting whistle at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, the reality that unfolds on the pitch will color and fade the images of the winner and the loser. Using their own strengths, the two World Cup finalists come from delivering a masterclass in their respective semifinal matches.
Spain showcased the defensive solidity they had already displayed in their first six games, but which they perfected completely in their seventh, to stifle the individual brilliance of France, who were the overwhelming favorites to be playing this Sunday in New Jersey. Argentina, for its part, showed that courage and determination to rise from suffering when they were being overtaken, as it did again against England, with the extra help of its captain Lionel Messi who at 39 years old was once again decisive.
Captain Match-Ups Through the Years
Perhaps the Spanish national team is more of a team, where everyone works for everyone else, without a single player who has stood out from the rest, unlike Argentina, who, despite also thinking as a team, do have one player who excels and makes the difference. Therefore, if Spain gives Messi the same freedom that the English gave him in the second half, Messi could once again change history.
However, Luis de la Fuente and his players will need a plan to prevent Argentina from getting back on their feet if they fall behind, and to avoid allowing Messi to take over in that situation. Above all, they must not be intimidated by their sometimes-aggressive style, which proved effective against England. This is typical of that streetwise and cunning Argentine football, where bravado and intimidation are always present, and it comes to the fore in these kinds of matches.
It is clear that Lionel Scaloni must have a plan to prevent his team from suffering like France did, because this Sunday Argentina will face the team that has had the most defensive solidity and as a team. Pep Guardiola said that for Spain to win the game, it is necessary for Rodri to show his level, along with Pedri and Yamal. And Guardiola himself, who knows Messi better than anyone, referring to his 39 years, commented: “age defeats everyone, but somehow it refuses to defeat Messi.” Everyone has something to say about the two finalists, who arrive as champions of America and Europe, often referencing the decisive moments when the Argentinians have turned matches around, never giving up. David Beckham, for example, even warned after England’s defeat that celebrating prematurely in front of the Argentinian captain is a serious tactical error.
At this stage of the game, Spain should not be thinking about a special marking for the 39-year-old player, but rather about playing an intelligent game like they did against the French, because they have the human resources to do so. What else is there to anticipate about Sunday’s final? Perhaps the no-big-name assumption is that no major surprises are expected in either team’s starting lineup, as both sides have already showcased their strengths in their first seven matches. This Sunday’s game will be an added bonus. Will it be different? Novel? Surprising? Intelligent? That’s the question. Meanwhile, to complete the judgment, it doesn’t hurt to look at the statistics of the two finalists that appear on the FIFA website, as if to gain some extra knowledge.
