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Spain v Argentina team news: La Roja unchanged, Molina benched

19 July 2026 319 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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This is it: the 104th and final 2026 FIFA World Cup match.

Spain and Argentina have each negotiated three group games and four knockout rounds to get here, and surprisingly meet for the first time at the World Cup in 60 years.

The New York New Jersey Stadium hosts this evening’s final, and the action gets underway at 20:00 BST.

TEAM NEWS

Spain are unchanged as Luis de la Fuente names the same starting XI that produced victories in the quarter-finals and semi-finals.

Pedri has to settle for a place among the substitutes again, then.

Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni make three alterations.

Rodrigo De Paul, Nico Gonzalez and Gonzalo Montiel come in, as Giuliano Simeone, Leandro Paredes and Nahuel Molina drop to the bench.

LINE-UPS

Spain XI: Simon, Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella, Rodri, Ruiz, Yamal, Olmo, Baena, Oyarzabal.

Subs: Raya, Pubill, Grimaldo, E Garcia, Llorente, Merino, Torres, Gavi, Pino, J Garcia, Williams, Zubimendi, Pedri, Munoz, Iglesias.

Argentina XI: E Martinez, Montiel, Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Tagliafico, Enzo, De Paul, Mac Allister, Gonzalez, Messi, Alvarez.

Subs: Musso, Senesi, Molina, Barco, Lo Celso, Rulli, Palacios, Paredes, Almada, Simeone, Paz, Otamendi, Lopez, Lautaro Martinez, Medina.

319 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Bobby Digital
    • 9 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Let's go Yamal!

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  2. Babit1967
    • 10 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Baena or MacAllister guys?

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    1. Bobbyg1
      • 14 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Mac for me

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    2. Bobby Digital
      • 9 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      I'm going Mac

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  3. Bobbyg1
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Olmo or MacAllister please guys?

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    1. Bobby Digital
      • 9 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Olmo

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  4. THE Wild Rover
    • 16 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Haha, Infantino and Infantile getting booed as they appear on screen.

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  5. PartyTime
    • 5 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Hahaha Carlos Alcarez 😯

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  6. THE Wild Rover
    • 16 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Prefer the ITV pundits, but switched straight to BBC when McCoist started talking.

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    1. Goro Majima
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Don't mind McCoist tbh, sticking with ITV.

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  7. GreennRed
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    It'll be the 2027 World Cup final by the time this game is over.

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  8. Brosstan
    • 12 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Have no problem admitting that Im becoming an older guy whos annoyed by what the world is like. But seriously, is there anyone who enjoy all this americanised, commercialised crap this WC?

    Louis Vuitton Trophy Trunk
    FIFA selling "Championship Rings"
    American National Anthem
    Tom Cruise holding a cringeworthy "football is unity" ChatGPT-esque speech that is as far removed from the reality of this WC as possible.
    Corruption and favoritism that they dont even try to hide (US Red Card, Ronaldo suspension lifted, Messi and Argentina immune to VAR)
    Rigged brackets so top teams went to the Semis
    The list could go on and on...

    Do young people actually enjoy this? Are they fooled by the spectacle to the extent that they dont see how laughably money grabbing and fake it all is? I used to enjoy the WC regardless of my own country playing, but this year its been utter garbage. Outside of watching your own team, there is nothing enjoyable about this.

    I have a faint hope that this will not continue when the tournament is removed from the US but I dont even believe it myself. FIFA have seen what is possible this year.

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    1. Freshy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Just monetized to the nth degree
      FIFA corruption same as it ever was

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    2. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Var has been poor.. i don't really care about the other things.

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      1. Brosstan
        • 12 Years
        1 month, 18 days ago

        VAR has had one purpose. Look for things to favor the big teams. Its done it's job very well to get Argentina to the final

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        1. jacob1989
          • 4 Years
          1 month, 18 days ago

          And england to the semis.

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          1. Brosstan
            • 12 Years
            1 month, 18 days ago

            Absolutely. VAR did a good job against Norway

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            1. jacob1989
              • 4 Years
              1 month, 18 days ago

              If u say that, var did nothing wrong vs Argentina either. Egypt goal was foul in build up, salah dived and embolo was dive.. so what u on about saying var supports argentina but not england? Either support or criticise var. Not cherry pick.

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              1. Brosstan
                • 12 Years
                1 month, 18 days ago

                I meant var did a good job to fulfill its purpose of getting England through

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                1. Brosstan
                  • 12 Years
                  1 month, 18 days ago

                  Just like they got Argentina to the final as planned

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                2. jacob1989
                  • 4 Years
                  1 month, 18 days ago

                  Ok good. Finally someone agrees

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    3. Naatie
      • 1 Year
      1 month, 18 days ago

      As always, grumpy as fck for no reason

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      1. Brosstan
        • 12 Years
        1 month, 18 days ago

        As always, whining about other posters instead of contributing. Get a life wnkstain

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    4. Haa-lala-land
      • 5 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      The Half time show is still to come 😀

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    5. x.jim.x
      • 11 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Please don’t play FPL this year if you’re just going to cry about it all season again.

      Regards,
      Everyone here

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      1. jacob1989
        • 4 Years
        1 month, 18 days ago

        Yeah i ll listen to some random people and not play fpl. Lol.

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      2. Brosstan
        • 12 Years
        1 month, 18 days ago

        Your wish won't be granted

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  9. THE Wild Rover
    • 16 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    How is that not a yellow? Getting beyond a joke now.

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    1. Brosstan
      • 12 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Its beyond obvious that refs are instructed to do what they can to make Messi win

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  10. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Looks like we might again witness around 10 goals like yday.. in the penalty shootout

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  11. Haa-lala-land
    • 5 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    The pitch is looking a little bit patchy in places

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    1. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Blame the Canadian wild fires…

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  12. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Really great game this, very exciting, full of amazing skill and excitement…

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    1. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Looks like argentina will only come alive once they trail 0-1.

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  13. Thanos
    • 5 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Is this an exhibition match or really the WC finals. FFS!

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    1. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      It’s dross…

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      1. Thanos
        • 5 Years
        1 month, 18 days ago

        Is this WC the worst there has been?
        Perhaps even more so than the last one...

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        1. jacob1989
          • 4 Years
          1 month, 18 days ago

          In terms of entertainment, it has been one if best ones. But finals are rarely exciting. 2022 was the best final ever probably.

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          1. Thanos
            • 5 Years
            1 month, 18 days ago

            Its not just about the finals. Just how the overall tournament has been conducted.

            It reeks of corruption, favoritism and match fixing.

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            1. GreennRed
              • 14 Years
              1 month, 18 days ago

              A few dodgy decisions made at the 2002 World Cup.

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        2. x.jim.x
          • 11 Years
          1 month, 18 days ago

          2010 was much worse

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          1. Thanos
            • 5 Years
            1 month, 18 days ago

            Really. Why?

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            1. x.jim.x
              • 11 Years
              1 month, 18 days ago

              Matches were proper boring and the vuvuzelas were painful

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              1. Thanos
                • 5 Years
                1 month, 18 days ago

                Oh yeah, remember the vuvus.

                But at least the matches didn't feel rigged like here.

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                1. THE Wild Rover
                  • 16 Years
                  1 month, 18 days ago

                  Lampard says hi

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              2. jacob1989
                • 4 Years
                1 month, 18 days ago

                Probably bcoz of spain peak tiki taka u didn't like it. Outside spain games, there were of course good games.

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                1. x.jim.x
                  • 11 Years
                  1 month, 18 days ago

                  There was a lot of bus parking, the Jabulani meant fewer goals, and half the big names were either injured or never bothered to show up

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  14. EmreCan Hustle
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Messi felt that after 2 business days

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  15. Freshy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Martinez (0) un for Upper (-2)
    Seems like a win for me

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  16. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    No team has ever scored a goal in a world cup final hosted in usa, excluding penalty shootouts

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  17. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
    • 9 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Defo should have been an England vs France final - this is a snooze fest

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    1. x.jim.x
      • 11 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      They should have tried to win their semis then

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      1. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
        • 9 Years
        1 month, 18 days ago

        Probably got bored to death to lose lol

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    2. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Spain is just a boring team. They keep the ball without attacking much and don't let other team get the ball.

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      1. Thanos
        • 5 Years
        1 month, 18 days ago

        No team hands the ball on a platter. Argentina isn't doing much to take the ball from them tbh.

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        1. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
          • 9 Years
          1 month, 18 days ago

          I know what most neutrals would rather watch

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  18. EmreCan Hustle
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    As if thus final wasn't boring enough already, now we have to hear a Justin Bieber ballad.

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    1. Freshy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      That was Bieber???

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  19. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Eurovision Song Contest at HT lol…

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    1. Absolutely Muñozed
      • 1 Year
      1 month, 18 days ago

      complete shite show. So much criticism by many for qatar wc but those are mostly silent now

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      1. Jafooli
        • 14 Years
        1 month, 18 days ago

        Kermit the Frog hits hard, madness…

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  20. Absolutely Muñozed
    • 1 Year
    1 month, 18 days ago

    complete joke to host the world cup in USA. when will they resume now

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    1. Thanos
      • 5 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Come back tomorrow and hopefully all American singers would be done 😛

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    2. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      U prefer qatar or saudi arabia?

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      1. Absolutely Muñozed
        • 1 Year
        1 month, 18 days ago

        How are they gonna get back the momentum? its bad for the players

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  21. x.jim.x
    • 11 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Mate how thick is Pique

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    1. THE Wild Rover
      • 16 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      The hips don’t lie

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  22. DARE TO BISCAN
    • 8 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Shakira still got it

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    1. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
      • 9 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      49 years old, unbelievable!

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    2. THE Wild Rover
      • 16 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      He was rubbish at Liverpool though

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      1. DARE TO BISCAN
        • 8 Years
        1 month, 18 days ago

        Small and humble > wide and cubelike

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  23. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    ‘Love’….corruption

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  24. Haa-lala-land
    • 5 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    I cant lie. I loved the HT show. Id never admit it, obviously!

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    1. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Hips don’t lie…

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      1. THE Wild Rover
        • 16 Years
        1 month, 18 days ago

        Keep up

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        1. Jafooli
          • 14 Years
          1 month, 18 days ago

          Ha, never saw yours lol

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  25. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    That was Class A pony…bit like the first half…

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  26. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    I hope the World Cup isn't held in America again for a long time. Hydration breaks, Trump influencing suspension decisions and now this utter nonsense.

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    1. Haa-lala-land
      • 5 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      The lies arent hip

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    2. Goro Majima
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      If infantino gets it to 64 teams there won't be anywhere else that is able to host it.

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    3. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      It should be hosting 2058 again.. 32 yrs later

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  27. PartyTime
    • 5 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    USA is the best. Enjoyed the show! Thank you Donald T. Now time for a really Messi 2nd half.

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  28. THE Wild Rover
    • 16 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    How long ago did the football stop?

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    1. SM001
      • 10 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Mid 2026. No idea how long ago that was.

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  29. SM001
    • 10 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    At least we all know what Hell looks like now.

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  30. Absolutely Muñozed
    • 1 Year
    1 month, 18 days ago

    How are they gonna get back the momentum? its bad for the players certainly

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    1. EmreCan Hustle
      • 14 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      What momentum?

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      1. Absolutely Muñozed
        • 1 Year
        1 month, 18 days ago

        players are at a higher risk of muscle strains, joint injuries, and reduced cognitive sharpness at the start of the second half if the break is extended

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        1. EmreCan Hustle
          • 14 Years
          1 month, 18 days ago

          They probably knew about the schedule, they would have prepared accordingly.

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      2. Jafooli
        • 14 Years
        1 month, 18 days ago

        Ha, so much this…

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