Spain vs. Argentina: Three key battles that could decide World Cup 2026 final including Lamine Yamal against Lionel Messi

Spain and Argentina volition fastener horns successful the 2026 World Cup last connected Sunday, with MetLife Stadium successful East Rutherford, New Jersey, playing big to the showpiece event.

Argentina recorded a 2-1 triumph implicit England successful the competition's 2nd semi-final, 24 hours aft Spain had beaten pre-tournament favourites France 2-0.

Here, Sports Mole takes a look astatine 3 cardinal battles that could determine the final.

Lamine Yamal vs. Lionel Messi

While not a nonstop conflict successful presumption of positions, the World Cup last could beryllium decided by Lamine Yamal oregon Lionel Messi, with some players truthful important for their nationalist teams.

Messi is 20 years older than Yamal, but the Argentine has shown this summertime that helium remains 1 of the standout players successful the world, coming up with 8 goals and 4 assists successful 712 minutes of shot astatine the World Cup, including 2 assists against England.

This is expected to beryllium Messi's past World Cup, and helium could triumph the trophy for the 2nd time, but Yamal is astatine the other extremity of his vocation and volition surely person different opportunities down the enactment to triumph a World Cup.

Yamal has not been astatine his champion this summer, lone managing 1 extremity and 1 assistance successful 7 matches, but helium won the punishment that Mikel Oyarzabal dispatched successful the semi-final triumph implicit France and is Spain's biggest menace successful the last 3rd of the field.

Rodri vs. Enzo Fernandez

Rodri has been adjacent to his champion for Spain this summer, with the Manchester City midfielder putting successful a big of fantabulous performances, and helium volition request to beryllium successful beardown signifier to woody with the Argentina midfield successful Sunday's World Cup final.

Fernandez has recovered it hard to amusement his prime consistently since arriving astatine Chelsea, but the Argentine has been fantabulous astatine this World Cup, scoring doubly successful six matches, including a long-range effort successful the semi-final clash with England.

The 25-year-old volition again look to prime up abstraction extracurricular the punishment container successful this match, with Messi often looking for the cutback to the midfielder.

Rodri volition beryllium asked to adjacent that abstraction and woody with his chap Premier League midfielder, and the conflict betwixt them could person a immense accidental erstwhile it comes to the winning team.

Mikel Oyarzabal vs. Cristian Romero/Lisandro Martinez

Argentina's 2 centre-backs of Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martinez bash springiness teams chances, but their effort and committedness to the origin cannot beryllium doubted.

Both Romero and Martinez volition look to beryllium carnal with Spain's Oyarzabal connected Sunday, and it is shaping up to beryllium a fascinating conflict successful that country of the field.

Oyarzabal has been awesome for Spain this summer, coming up with 5 goals and 1 assistance successful 7 appearances, and helium volition pb the La Roja enactment successful the World Cup final.

The 29-year-old has mostly been cardinal for Spain this summer, with Yamal and Alex Baena operating wider, truthful Oyarzabal could person immoderate duels with the 2 Argentine centre-backs, who ne'er shy distant from the carnal portion of the game.

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