How do Spain and Argentina stack up? World Cup final teams by the numbers.

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As Spain and Argentina caput into the 2026 men's World Cup final astatine MetLife Stadium successful New Jersey connected Sunday, shot fans person already experienced heartbreak, axenic joyousness and controversy during the historical 39-day tournament.

Forty-eight nations competed successful the largest FIFA World Cup successful past and 2 are near standing, with Spain successful hunt of its 2nd World Cup rubric and Argentina shooting for back-to-back championships.

"Spain came into the tourney arsenic the favorite," Paul Tenorio of The Athletic told CBS News. "This is simply a squad that present is riding a 37-game unbeaten streak going into the finals." But connected the different side, helium said, "Argentina is Argentina. They've won 3 consecutive planetary tournaments going into this World Cup, and they've done it with the champion subordinate of each time, [Lionel] Messi being benignant of the heartbeat of the team. You tin archer that the Argentina players are playing for Messi."

Here's what to cognize astir the World Cup last teams, players and their records truthful far:

Spain looks for its 2nd World Cup title

Despite being 1 of Europe's apical teams, the archetypal and lone clip La Roja lifted the World Cup trophy was connected July 11, 2010, successful Johannesburg, South Africa, aft a squad of superstar Spanish players defeated the Netherlands 1-0.

Spain is 1 of conscionable 2 teams ever to suffer its World Cup opening lucifer and spell connected to triumph the rubric — the other, ironically, being Argentina. It is besides the archetypal European federation to triumph a World Cup played extracurricular Europe.

Without the likes of Gerard Piqué, Sergio Ramos and Iker Casillas, Spain's lineup astatine the 2026 World Cup signifies a passing of the torch to a caller generation.

Coach Luis de la Fuente took implicit the reins of Spain's nationalist squad aft Luis Enrique exited pursuing Spain's disappointing World Cup circular of 16 exit successful Qatar successful 2022.

De la Fuente chose respective young players for his World Cup roster, including 19-year-old Pau Cubarsi and 21-year-old Dean Huijsen, immoderate of whom helium worked with erstwhile helium was successful complaint of the U-19s and U-21s.

At conscionable 19 years old, Lamine Yamal has been 1 of Spain's breakout stars. He helped pb the squad to the 2024 Euro title, and Spain's World Cup squad includes 15 different players from the Euro roster.

"I deliberation that I person precise precocious expectations," Yamal told CBS News' Jon Wertheim successful a "60 Minutes" interview past year. "I deliberation it's been a agelong clip since Spain was a superior contender to triumph the World Cup. I spot that the state is excited. I americium precise excited…. I consciousness good. I'm truly looking guardant to it, and I'm going to bask it a lot."

Spain is entering the last with a 37-match unbeaten tally successful regularisation time, matching Italy's all-time satellite record.

In its 7 World Cup matches earlier the final, Spain has conceded lone 1 goal, against Belgium (2-1) successful its quarterfinal. Goalkeeper Unai Simón had kept a cleanable expanse for a grounds 650 minutes, the longest scoreless streak astatine the tournament.

Another subordinate to ticker is 29-year-old Mikel Oyarzabal, who has netted 5 goals since the commencement of the World Cup and matched David Villa's grounds for the astir goals scored by a Spaniard successful a azygous tournament.

Oyarzabal and Yamal are cervix and cervix successful their attempts connected extremity astatine the World Cup, with 22 and 23 attempts, respectively. But Spain's defence has a batch of enactment to bash against Argentina's superstar Lionel Messi.

Back-to-back World Cup triumph connected the enactment for Argentina

Coming into the World Cup arsenic the defending champions, La Albiceleste are looking to go the archetypal squad to triumph back-to-back titles since Brazil achieved the uncommon feat successful 1958 and 1962. The lone different federation to person done truthful is Italy successful 1934 and 1938.

With Messi starring the charge, Argentina's triumph implicit France astatine the World Cup last successful Qatar gave the squad its 3rd rubric and ended a 36-year drought.

During this year's tournament, Messi further cemented his bequest by becoming the all-time starring scorer successful men's World Cup history. The 39-year-old has scored 21 goals crossed six World Cup tournaments, and he's presently tied with Kylian Mbappé arsenic the starring scorer successful this tourney with 8 goals. The No. 10 besides has the astir attempts connected goal, 34, astatine the tournament.

Messi besides holds the grounds for the astir FIFA World Cup appearances, with 32 matches. He is 1 of lone 2 players, the different being Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, to play successful six World Cups.

Another subordinate to ticker is Enzo Fernández. In 2022, the then-21-year-old became the youngest Argentinian to people a extremity for Argentina astatine the World Cup since Messi, who was 18 astatine the time. In the semifinal against England, Fernández scored a masterful equalizer connected a walk from Messi.

Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni near retired 9 players from the 2022 winning squad and added respective caller faces who could assistance enactment Messi portion protecting the antiaircraft line, including Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez.

It was Martinez who headed successful a extremity connected a walk from Messi successful the semifinal to springiness Argentina the stoppage-time triumph it needed to beforehand into the final. Argentina is making its seventh World Cup last appearance.

Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez is regarded arsenic 1 of the champion keepers successful the world, known for his distraction tactics and intimidating opponents, and he's returned to the World Cup last arsenic the reigning Golden Glove winner. Martinez is besides the lone goalkeeper to triumph the Best FIFA Goalkeeper twice, successful 2022 and 2024.

Elizabeth Campbell contributed to this report.

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