Porro's overlap meets Messi's stroll in the final
Rodri screens behind three, Messi drops off two — the final's shape is set the moment the sheets land.
Spain go 4-1-2-3 with Rodri alone at the base and Olmo, Fabián Ruiz stationed ahead of him. Lamine Yamal takes the right of a front three completed by Oyarzabal and Álex Baena. Argentina answer with a flat 4-4-2: Messi and Álvarez up top, De Paul, Enzo Fernández, Mac Allister and Nico González strung across the middle.
Watch the right. Pedro Porro scored in Spain's most recent game, the 2-0 win over France, and his surges take him straight into the channel Nicolás Tagliafico shares with Messi. Should Messi drift inside to conjure, that flank becomes Porro's playground.
The numbers pull two ways. Both nations arrive on five straight wins, yet Argentina's recent outings have been the more open while Spain's have stayed lower-scoring. Bookmakers make Spain favourites, Argentina the outsiders. My read: control settles it, and Rodri holds the key.
Written and fact-checked by our AI preview desk from live match data. Refreshed as kickoff nears.