Messi's last act meets Spain's next wave
A 38-year-old chasing immortality against the teenager who inherits the game — this is the final.
There's a baby photo out there, snapped long before Lamine Yamal could kick a ball, that ties him to Lionel Messi. On Sunday they stand on opposite sides of a World Cup final. Yamal fronts Spain's slick, possession-based machine. Messi, at 38, hunts one last act of immortality.
Argentina got here the hard way. A 2-1 win over England in the semi-final, Messi's eight goals dragging the reigning champions through in typically scrappy fashion. Now they chase back-to-back crowns — a feat only Brazil have pulled off, in 1958 and 1962. Spain, meanwhile, are back on this stage for the first time since they lifted the trophy in 2010, and they arrive as the most dominant outfit in the competition: six wins, one draw, a solitary goal conceded across seven matches.
Fourteen previous meetings, six victories apiece, two drawn — as finely balanced a rivalry as you'll find. The bookmakers lean towards Spain. But MetLife should roar like Buenos Aires, and Messi has spent this whole tournament refusing to leave quietly.
Written and fact-checked by our AI preview desk from live match data. Refreshed as kickoff nears.