The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set for a dream ending. Spain, the reigning UEFA European Championship winner, and Argentina, the defending FIFA World Cup and Copa América champion, will meet in a showdown many see as the ultimate Finalissima between the best teams in Europe and South America.

The match also carries extra significance. The two nations were originally scheduled to face each other in the Finalissima months ago, but the fixture was ultimately canceled because of scheduling conflicts. Fate saved that encounter for the biggest stage imaginable: a FIFA World Cup final.

Although the overall head-to-head record is remarkably balanced, recent meetings clearly favor Spain, giving La Roja a slight psychological edge heading into Sunday's championship match.

A Balanced Rivalry... with Painful Memories for Argentina

Throughout history, Spain and Argentina have met 14 times.

The rivalry is perfectly balanced, with six victories for Spain, six for Argentina, and two draws. However, the most recent encounters tell a different story.

The match that still stands out took place in Madrid in March 2018, just months before the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

That night, Spain produced one of its finest performances, routing Argentina 6-1 in what remains the Albiceleste's heaviest defeat against the Spanish national team. Diego Costa, Thiago Alcântara, Iago Aspas, and a sensational hat trick from Isco completed one of the most memorable victories in Spanish football history. Nicolás Otamendi scored Argentina's only goal.

The absence of Lionel Messi, who missed the match through injury, did little to soften the impact of the defeat. Even today, it remains one of the most painful friendly matches in recent memory for Argentina.

History, however, also remembers Argentina's response.

Eight years earlier, in 2010, the South American giants defeated Spain 4-1 at Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuaín, Carlos Tévez, and Sergio Agüero all found the net, while Fernando Llorente scored the lone goal for a Spanish side that had arrived as the reigning world champion.

Only One World Cup Meeting

Despite being two of international football's most successful nations, Spain and Argentina have met only once in a FIFA World Cup.

That encounter came during the 1966 FIFA World Cup in England, in the group stage.

At Villa Park, Argentina claimed a 2-1 victory in a fiercely contested match that ultimately helped the Albiceleste reach the quarterfinals.

Since then, both countries have built their World Cup legacies along separate paths, winning multiple titles without facing each other again on football's biggest stage.

Spain Arrives in Better Form

Beyond the historical record, current form appears to favor Spain.

Luis de la Fuente's squad has improved with every round of the tournament. After a difficult opening match against Cape Verde, La Roja quickly found its rhythm and now boasts one of the strongest defenses in the competition, anchored by Pau Cubarsí, Aymeric Laporte, and the outstanding Marc Cucurella, while Pedro Porro has become a constant attacking threat down the right flank with his energy and overlapping runs.

Further forward, Mikel Oyarzabal is enjoying perhaps the finest stretch of his international career, supported by the balance and control provided by Rodri, Pedri, and Mikel Merino, who have dominated midfield throughout much of the tournament.

Standing in Spain's way is an Argentina side that thrives on football's biggest occasions. Lionel Scaloni's team has once again demonstrated its resilience in the knockout rounds, overcoming difficult tests against Cape Verde, Egypt, Switzerland, and England. Leading the charge is Lionel Messi, who enters the final tied with Kylian Mbappé as the tournament's top scorer while chasing a historic fourth World Cup title for the Albiceleste.

The final promises a fascinating clash of styles. Spain will look to dictate possession with its aggressive pressing, quick ball circulation, and dynamic young stars. Argentina, meanwhile, will rely on experience, emotional composure, and the brilliance of Messi to decide the match.

Recent history favors Spain, but World Cup finals rarely follow history.

On Sunday, at New Jersey Stadium, the two footballing giants will write another chapter in a rivalry that has waited decades for the perfect stage.

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