⏪ Spain deny Messi's swan song to lift second World Cup trophy | OneFootball

That's it from us today!

Thank you for sticking with us across a fantastic summer of football, and stay tuned for our live blogs across the Premier League and European club competitions during the 2026/27 season!

Here's the list of personal accolades handed out at the conclusion of the World Cup.

US President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino take the pitch to present winners' medals and the World Cup trophy, and are met with a chorus of boos along the way.

It's all kicked off after the final whistle, with Argentina being handed another red in the aftermath.

FULL TIME: SPAIN 1-0 ARGENTINA

For the second time, Spain are crowned World Cup champion!

A brilliant campaign for La Roja ends with denying Lionel Messi a second tournament win in what is sure to be his final appearance on the world stage.

CHANCE!

Simeone blazes over the bar from inside the box after being left unmarked.

That's a massive chance gone begging!

And now another corner after Spain just clear their lines on the first attempt...

CHANCE!!

They played it short to Messi, who drives play before releasing Simeone, whose ball across goal was cleared well by Spain when it could have so easily gone in for an own goal or found a lurking run.

Argentina have a corner...

La Selección have a deep free kick, with Messi to take...

Play resumes, with Argentina in possession as we edge toward full-time across extra time.

Merino is down on the turf after taking Messi's rasping hit from range to the face.

...Messi's ball in fails to connect, and it's out for a goalkick.

Argentina have their second corner of the game as they look to bag an unlikely equaliser...

GOAL!!! SPAIN 1-0 ARGENTINA

And it's a goal that was surely coming and has been for some time!

Ferran slams home from close range to break the deadlock right after the restart!

The scoreline remains all square at nil-nil as we reach halftime of extra time.

Argentina will get to apply some pressure near the end of the first half of extra time after Porro concedes a throw on the end of Messi's searching ball for Medina.

Lionel Scaloni enters the book for remonstrating during the stoppage of play.

Tensions mount!

Yamal and Tagliafico have a coming together on the touchline.

CHANCE!

Merino was inches away from a third game-winning goal after he headed wide from six yards out after meeting a delightful cross into the box.

Argentina make their final change now, bringing on Marcos Senesi to replace Julian Álvarez, shoring up the defense in hopes of getting to a penalty shootout.

A shot from Yamal goes horribly wrong as he balloons his curled effort quite high and wide.

Two changes for Spain to freshen things up, with Martín Zubimendi and Eric García coming on for Rodri and Laporte.

DISALLOWED!!

Spain see a Nico Williams opener chalked off for a foul after Mikel Merino was judged to have brought down Nicolás Otamendi in the attacking sequence.

Martínez remains down in the aftermath.

CHANCE!

Martínez makes his 11th save of the day, this time, getting a finger tip to Williams' flicked header from close range.

He's having the game of his life.

When it's all said and done, will Emi Martínez's record-setting heroics be a deciding factor?

Extra time gets underway, with Spain resuming the status quo.

END OF NORMAL TIME: SPAIN 0-0 ARGENTINA

CHANCE!!

Yamal dispatches a well-struck free kick, but Martínez denies him with his tenth save of the match!

Paredes brings down Ferran in a great shooting position in what should be the final act of normal time...

ENZO IS OFF!

Argentina are down to ten men after a rash tackle by Enzo Fernández sees the Chelsea man given a second yellow and his marching orders!

CHANCE!

Williams stings the hands of Martínez, who sets a World Cup finals record with his ninth save, after Spain broke quickly in the wake of Argentina's foray into the box.

We'll have four added minutes...

CHANCE!

Rodrig lets fly from range in an attempt to break the deadlock late on, but his effort sails high over the bar.

Stoppage time is just seconds away.

We're well into the final ten minutes of normal time, and Argentina have - still - yet to register a single shot.

Spain remains the odds-on favourite to come out on top. But football wouldn't be football if they manage to lose today.

CHANCE!

An 8th save for Martínez denies Aymeric Laporte a headed goal after he did well to get on the end of Williams' cross to the back post.

...which they have failed to capitalize on once again.

CHANCE!

Spain are starting to purr again, and it's Yamal who continues to be the biggest threat.

Martínez denies a swerving, long-range hit from Cubarsí after Yamal terrorized Argentina down the right-hand side.

They have another corner on the back of it...

Olmo and Baena are placed by Nico Williams and Mikel Merino.

Spain still has one change left to make.

Argentina have one of their only meaningful attacking moves of the match as Messi and Simeone look to break down the right channel, but the cross from the substitute is blocked, and Spain takes control again.

Argentina make their final two changes of the day.

Giuliano Simeone and Facundo Medina come on to replace De Paul and Romero (injured).

Worth noting that Argentina have been another animal entirely after the second stoppage across the entire tournament.

Will we see similar once again?

And now we've reached the second hydration break.

CHANCE!

Ferran gets on the end of Yamal's near-post cross, but Martínez does well to hold on to this one.

...once again, that comes to nothing.

CHANCE!

Olmo's effort from range is spilled by Martínez, gifting Spain yet another corner...

Spain makes their first two changes here.

Oyarzabal and Ruíz come off for Ferran Torres and Pedri.

...the shot is blocked, and Argentina ultimately fight to earn a throw-in.

La Roja with a dead-ball chance now.

Yamal, and Baena over it...

A third change from Argentina now, and it's Nahuel Molina who comes on to replace Gonzalo Montiel.

...and that is wasted after a poor second ball in.

Spain have another corner after doing well to venture into Argentine territory again...

It didn't take long for Paredes to enter the book during the first coming together between the two sides.

...but it's out of play for a goalkick after Mac Allister got the final touch of the sequence.

A first corner for Argentina and its Lionel Messi to take...

CHANCE!

Spain picks up right where they left off, with Baena testing Martínez from the top of the box, but his effort is relatively tame.

We're finally back in action, with Lionel Scaloni making a second change before the restart.

Leandro Paredes comes on to replace Nico Gonzalez.

Back to the football soon, and surely, Argentina will have a better second-half performance than what was on offer prior to that halftime spectacle.

Safe to say, most people are not a fan of the halftime show.

Time for the halftime show. Enjoy, if that's your thing.

At least revel in R9 and big Ronnie making an appearance...

HT: SPAIN 0-0 ARGENTINA

The first half comes to a close in New York/New Jersey, with a dominant Spain unable to break the deadlock against an Argentina side lucky to head into half-time on level terms.

Will we see an improved performance after the break from La Selección?

Argentina are forced into an early change, with Lisandro Martínez coming off injured and replaced by Nicolás Otamendi.

CHANCE!

Marc Cucurella has a pop from outside of the box after finding space to shoot, but his low effort can only slide wide of Martínez's far post.

First yellow of the day awarded to Lisandro Martínez.

Arguably should not have been the first.

CHANCE!

A second save of the half sees Martínez get down quickly to deny a low drive by Oyarzabal, but the Aston Villa shot-stopper was not troubled.

More regarding the officiating today, this time, looking back at the challenge from Nicolás Tagliafico on Yamal, as questions continue to bubble up.

Half an hour gone and Spain are still in complete control.

Have the refs already gotten it wrong today, looking back at Alexis Mac Allister's challenge on Dani Olmo?

Let us know your views in the comments.

We've hardly seen Argentina at the races across the first half thus far.

And now, the first hydration break of the afternoon.

...which Martínez comfortably comes off his line to collect.

A second corner for Spain now...

It's impossible to look beyond Spain as far and away the better side across the opening 20-odd minutes of play.

But you simply cannot discount Argentina from roaring into life as they so often do.

Rodrigo De Paul's ball over the top is just too far for Nicolás González to latch on to.

Spain then immediately looked to break from the goal kick through Yamal, but his eventual ball across the face of goal was comfortably collected.

Fifteen minutes gone, no score, and Argentina now have a free-kick in what could amount to their first chance today.

It's initially dealt with, but Spain regains possession and remains on the hunt.

The first corner of the day goes to Spain after some good pressure.

Baena to take...

La Roja are looking to dictate terms early here as they settle into control inside Argentina's half.

CHANCE!

Spain nearly grabs a very early lead after great combination play from Mikel Oyarzabal, Dani Olmo, and Lamine Yamal, but the youngster's eventual effort deflects into the arms of Emi Martínez.

Pedro Porro commits the first foul of the afternoon.

And, finally, we're up and running.

Spain vs Argentina.

Who will come out on top? Strap in for this one!

We're just moments away from walk-outs, national anthems, and then all the action between Spain and Argentina.

The World Cup trophy makes its appearance.

Louis Vuitton case sold separately.

And don't forget, ladies and gentlemen, we'll have winner's rings this time around.

Make of that what you will.

We're now just 20 minutes away from kick-off, with American vocal star Jennifer Hudson billed to bellow out the United States national anthem prior.

Before that, here's confirmation of another record for Messi's locker.

With so much focus on Lamine Yamal from a Spanish perspective, it's a big moment for the Barcelona wonderkid today.

The pre-match festivities press on at New York/New Jersey stadium.

AND THE TEAMS ARE IN!

Here's how Spain and Argentina will line up this afternoon.

There's no better person to break down the battle that is to come this afternoon than 2010 World Cup winner, former clubmate of both Messi, and the man who gave Yamal his debut, Xavi Hernández.

His thoughts on the pair of them ahead of kick-off.

And if anyone wonders if Spain will be back in the finals of the grandest stage in football down the line, there's no doubt that Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí will get them there.

Some insights on Lionel Messi and his legacy with Argentina, should La Seleccíon defeat Spain today.

Is he the greatest of all time already, or does he need a win today to truly cement that?

Here's Tim Vickery for more on that.

For some lighter fare, there's this on the pre-match reading menu.

More excellent pre-match coverage for your reading pleasure as we close in on the teamsheets being released.

Hilarious social media adaptations of this photo aside, these two lining up against each other at a World Cup final defies the odds.

A fun read from The Athletic ahead of kick-off.

A good starting point today, courtesy of Michael Cox for the New York Times, highlighting the tactical and systemic differences between Spain and Argentina that have gotten them to the final.

Which system is set to prevail on the day? Let us know in the comments below.

Welcome back to the final live blog coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup!

It's the two top-rated teams in the FIFA rankings this afternoon in New York/New Jersey, with European champions Spain taking on World Cup holders and South American champions Argentina in what should be a test that can hopefully outstrip yesterday's scenes in Miami.