Spain is suiting up to battle Argentina on Sunday in the 2026 World Cup final. The European powerhouse may be the current favorite to hoist the hardware at MetLife Stadium, but the South American side won’t go down easy. It will be relentless in its pursuit of a second consecutive World Cup crown, a feat no nation has achieved in over 60 years (Brazil, 1962).
The biggest obstacle standing in Spain’s way, though, is most certainly the one and only Lionel Messi. The 39-year-old soccer legend, although supposedly in the “twilight” of his seasoned career, is having his best World Cup at the sixth attempt. He has scored eight goals and notched four assists to nearly single-handedly keep Argentina alive in the last four nail-biting stages. His late-stage heroics have almost certainly sealed up the Golden Ball award, if he doesn’t also walk away with the Golden Boot.
