The 2026 FIFA World Cup final is set, and it is jam-packed with storylines that make it a must-watch event for everyone, from the most devout fans left in the tournament to the scornful stragglers whose team failed to make the final.
Here are the four key storylines to know for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina on Sunday at New York New Jersey Stadium.
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Lionel Messi’s throne is up for grabs, and the overwhelming belief is that Lamine Yamal will succeed him, just as he did at FC Barcelona. Some would argue that he’s already done enough to earn it. Others think he still has to prove he’s earned it, and a World Cup title at 19 years old would put that debate to bed.
Only four players in history have started in the World Cup final and won it before the age of 20: Uruguay’s Rubén Morán, Brazil’s Pelé, Italy’s Giuseppe Bergomi and France’s Kylian Mbappé. If Yamal does it this year with Spain, he will be the youngest to do it since Bergomi in 1982.
That list gets even smaller when you include players that have also won the Euros before the age of 20, because the list is zero. Yamal would become the first after winning the Euros with Spain in 2024.
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Spain’s path to the final hasn’t been easy. In its seven matches, it has played three teams ranked in the top 10 in the FIFA World Rankings: Belgium (8), Portugal (7) and France (2). No team has played more at this year’s tournament.
And yet, even in the face of the stiffest competition the tournament had to offer, Spain has conceded just one goal so far. Its six clean sheets are the most by a team in a single edition of the World Cup.
Goalkeeper Unai Simón has been at the center of Spain’s shutout wins, recording a record six clean sheets at this year’s tournament. But its defense has been anchored on the pitch by 2024 Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, who has returned to his world-class form at the World Cup.
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