Argentina play Spain in the final of the 2026 World Cup, today, Sunday.

It is a game that has a lot of subplots.

 

The most obvious is Lionel Messi vs Lamine Yamal.

About 19 years ago, Messi, who was a highly-rated youngster at Barcelona, was photographed bathing an infant Yamal.

 

Now, they attempt to drag their respective countries into immortality.

 

“For Messi, winning the World Cup cements his legacy as the greatest of all time in football,” Ope Adebari, a sports analyst, reporter and producer with News Central, said.

 

“For Yamal, it will be the beginning of his legacy in football.

 

“Also, I believe Messi will win the Ballon d’Or award if Argentina wins the World Cup.”

It is a game that will also see the world champions take on the European champions.

 

The Finalissimo between Argentina and Spain earlier this year was cancelled. But fate has brought both powerhouses together to compete for the biggest prize of them all.

 

Adebari continued: “I have no doubts that it’s the best two teams that made it to the final.

 

“Both teams earned their spots by showing quality when it mattered the most and they have been rewarded for their hard work and consistency.

 

“I think the game will be highly entertaining. We should expect a repeat of the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar.

 

“I believe it’s the fine margins that would allow either team to be victorious.”

 

Sunday’s final will be the 104th game of a 48-team tournament.

 

The penultimate game saw a 10-goal thriller, with England beating France 6-4 to take the bronze medal.

 

“Honestly, this tournament has pleasantly surpassed my expectations,” Adebari said.

 

“We had quality football matches between teams who were desperate to win.

 

“The level of competition was high in comparison to previous editions. No win came easy in this tournament.”