After Spain’s 1-0 victory over Argentina after extra time, Lamine Yamal sought out Lionel Messi, who was sitting on the ground taking it all in after a heartbreaking World Cup final loss. It was Messi’s second World Cup final defeat of his career, after Argentina lost the 2014 final 1-0 to Germany thanks to an … Read more
Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal can both make history in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, but they’re not the only ones whose legacies stand to benefit from the match — far from it. Here is who has the most to gain — and lose — in the 2026 FIFA World Cup between Spain and … Read more
There may not be a clear favorite on Sunday when Spain and Argentina meet in the FIFA World Cup final, but there are very discernable differences in the way each team arrived at this point. For Argentina, Lionel Messi is the star. He is the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer with 21 goals. In 2022, … Read more
Barcelona president Joan Laporta believes the World Cup final between Argentina and Spain will showcase the strength of La Masia, with club legends and rising stars on opposite sides. He hailed Lionel Messi’s legacy while backing Lamine Yamal as the future, insisting Barcelona’s identity will be at the heart of the showpiece. La Masia Takes … Read more
Twenty-six years ago, when a 13-year-old Lionel Messi left his beloved Rosario and arrived in Barcelona for his trial to join La Masia academy, with the hopes of sealing a move that could change his life, no one could predict the impact of that moment. Not only did it eternally change Messi’s life and the footballing … Read more
If your first thought when seeing the now-viral photo of Lionel Messi bathing Lamine Yamal as an infant is how unbelievable it is that the two will be playing against each other in Sunday’s World Cup final, you’re not alone; Messi shares the sentiment. “That picture with Lamine, now we are facing in a final … Read more
NEW YORK — Will Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final mark the coronation of Lionel Messi-era Argentina as the best national team of all time? Or will Spain’s next-greatest generation take a huge step toward claiming that title for itself? It’s a dream finale between two iconic soccer powers. With Messi and coach Lionel Scaloni leading … Read more
The world’s best have thrived this summer at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which has helped make this the best edition of the tournament ever. Ahead of the final between Spain and Argentina, we ranked the 50 best players in the tournament. Most of the players toward the top of this list have household names … Read more
Spain is back in the World Cup final since winning it all in 2010 over the Netherlands in Johannesburg at the first ever edition to be hosted on the African continent. In those 16 years, much has changed (i.e, the number of qualified teams) while some things have stayed the same (Lionel Messi and Ronaldo … Read more
This was the World Cup of firsts. The first tournament to feature 48 teams saw 1,248 players descend upon Canada, Mexico and the United States this summer. The expanded field means there will be a total of 104 matches played at the conclusion of the tournament, resulting in 9,360 minutes of soccer played in regulation … Read more