Messi and Spain set up a World Cup final loaded with plot
Argentina will face Spain in New Jersey after a 2026 World Cup packed with Messi magic, old-star farewells, records and underdog chaos.
By Deshawn Carter · Sports Writer
3 min read
Lionel Messi is one match from another World Cup crown, and ESPN reports that Argentina’s final hurdle is Spain on Sunday in New Jersey.
The 2026 tournament, expanded to 48 teams, has already delivered five weeks of goals, upsets and farewells. According to ESPN, defending champion Argentina has reached a second straight final, with Messi still driving the run after turning 39 during the competition.
ESPN reported that Messi has outdone his own statistical production from Argentina’s 2022 title campaign and entered the final leading the tournament’s goal and assist charts. France’s Kylian Mbappé and Michael Olise, Brazil’s Vinícius Júnior, and England’s Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane all had standout spells, ESPN said, but their teams are out.
The final also brings Messi across from Spain winger Lamine Yamal, with ESPN noting a strange bit of history between them: the pair met 19 years ago at a UNICEF charity photo shoot in Barcelona, when Yamal was a baby.
Old icons bow out
ESPN described the tournament as a likely final World Cup for several veteran stars approaching 40, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa and Messi, all appearing at their sixth World Cups.
Most of that older group did not get the ending they wanted. ESPN reported that Neymar was emotional after Brazil went out to Norway in the round of 16, while Ronaldo was also in tears after Portugal were eliminated by Spain at the same stage.
Ronaldo scored twice against Uzbekistan in the group stage, according to ESPN, but had little influence beyond that. ESPN also reported that he appeared to confirm after the Spain match that 2026 would be his last World Cup, though Portugal is set to co-host the 2030 tournament and new coach Jorge Jesus has said Ronaldo remains in his plans.
Goals everywhere, including the wrong net
The expanded format has brought a scoring surge. ESPN reported that the 2026 World Cup moved from 64 matches in 2022 to 104, and that the tournament record of 172 goals from Qatar was broken in the group stage when Auston Trusty scored for the United States against Turkey.
Before the final and third-place game, ESPN put the 2026 total at 297 goals in 102 matches. Messi and Mbappé had eight each, Norway’s Erling Haaland had seven in his first World Cup, Kane and Bellingham had six apiece, and Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal had five.
The oddest number belongs to own goals. ESPN reported that 14 have been scored, passing the previous World Cup record of 12 from 2018.
Cape Verde steals hearts
Cape Verde became one of the tournament’s big stories, according to ESPN, by reaching the knockout phase and then pushing Argentina to extra time in a 3-2 round-of-32 defeat.
The nation of about 530,000 people held Spain to a draw in its opening group game and also drew with Uruguay, ESPN reported. Goalkeeper Vozinha became a breakout figure after making seven saves against Spain, and ESPN said his Instagram following rose from 46,000 before the tournament to more than 29 million.
Several established teams left early. ESPN reported that Uruguay failed to win a group match, while Germany, the Netherlands, Croatia, Senegal and Japan all exited in the new round of 32. Brazil and Portugal then fell in the round of 16, clearing the road for a Spain-Argentina finale with plenty already behind it.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.