Dugout Discussion
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. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
    • 9 Years
    1 day, 5 hours ago

    OMG SCENES

  2. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    1 day, 5 hours ago

    Brilliant, could not have happened to a better person….get off the pitch, thug

  3. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
    • 9 Years
    1 day, 5 hours ago

    Oh pee off VAR

  4. JBG
    • 8 Years
    1 day, 5 hours ago

    Don't you dare lose this now Spain

  5. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    1 day, 5 hours ago

    Send him off again - and his mates.

  6. EmreCan Hustle
    • 13 Years
    1 day, 5 hours ago

    Messi trying to get Cucurella sent off

    1. Haa-lala-land
      • 5 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      That was a low ball move by Messi.
      Classless. Im glad the ref saw through it.

  7. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    1 day, 5 hours ago

    Enzo 1st yellow was so needless!

    1. Goro Majima
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      1 day, 5 hours ago

      The second one wasn't exactly essential either.

      1. Jafooli
        • 14 Years
        1 day, 4 hours ago

        lol…

  8. JBG
    • 8 Years
    1 day, 5 hours ago

    Paredes 2nd foul around the box after his 1st YC...

    1. My heart goes Salalalalah
      • 9 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      Yep. Definite 2nd yellow there...

  9. JBG
    • 8 Years
    1 day, 5 hours ago

    Oh fck off Martinez, go to bed

    1. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      1 day, 5 hours ago

      One for the camera’s

  10. EmreCan Hustle
    • 13 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    I don't think Argentina will be as adventurous during this extra time.

    1. DeSelby
      • 3 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      They should be made to walk home after this farce.

  11. Brosstan
    • 11 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Pathetic from messi trying to get Cucurella sent off. What a little cretin he is.

  12. My heart goes Salalalalah
    • 9 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    These Argentina players are such dirtbags!

  13. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    I think penalty shootouts should be scrapped. If teams are level after extra time, stats should decide the winner.

    They do it in boxing. If there are no knockouts, it goes to points where it's decided on punches thrown/landed etc.

    Why can't they do the same in football with total shots, shots on target, xG etc?

    It's quite possible that Argentina could win this world cup on penalties after registering zero xG and not having a single shot on goal. It would be the biggest sporting injustice ever.

    1. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
      • 9 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      Or just keep playing until someone scores.
      Penalties great for the neutral though.

    2. CoracAld2831
      • 5 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      Would be a very boring way to decide the winner.

      Rather have an endless amount of extra times, but with golden goal rule.

      1. CoracAld2831
        • 5 Years
        1 day, 4 hours ago

        Also boxing is a one-on-one sport. Completely different.

    3. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      This will always favor the big teams. Small nations or clubs will never have a chance

      1. gooberman
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        1 day, 4 hours ago

        What a strange response. The whole point would be that the team who played the better football and where the most deserving go through regardless of who is the bigger nation.

        1. jacob1989
          • 4 Years
          1 day, 4 hours ago

          If this was spain vs cape verde? A draw would basically mean spain go thru

          1. gooberman
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 14 Years
            1 day, 4 hours ago

            If they were the better team according to the game stats so therefore deserved it then yes. The concept shouldn't be difficult to grasp.

  14. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
    • 9 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Not gonna lie, looking at the players on each team I can’t see Argentina not winning this if it goes to pens…

  15. CoracAld2831
    • 5 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Very boring WC final so far.

  16. Haa-lala-land
    • 5 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Can we look forward to another HT show in ET?

  17. Freshy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    To sub in Lautaro he would have to take off Messi?

    1. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
      • 9 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      Didn’t vs England

  18. My heart goes Salalalalah
    • 9 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    1st time on here in weeks. So happy to see that this isnt a Messi fanboy club. This World Cup has been the worst in terms of obvious advantage Argentina and especially Messi receives from referees and the likes.
    Just makes me realize again why I just cant get into football after years of playing FPL...

  19. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
    • 9 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Ooh that’s close you know

  20. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
    • 9 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    I think that will count

    1. CoracAld2831
      • 5 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      It did not.

    2. Haa-lala-land
      • 5 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      Noone is even sure from a slow mo replay which action is the foul, so Var surely give a recommendation for a review at least

      1. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
        • 9 Years
        1 day, 4 hours ago

        From what I can gather they did but the referee decided to not go to screen and stick his decision
        (Which they can do)

  21. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    What foul?

    1. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
      • 9 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      Think VAR will overrule it

      1. The Bandit
        • 15 Years
        1 day, 4 hours ago

        Nope

        1. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
          • 9 Years
          1 day, 4 hours ago

          Mad

    2. PartyTime
      • 5 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      Clear foul old man. Can't you see Otamendi's foot got stepped on?!!! Can't you see?!!

  22. JBG
    • 8 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Horrendous decision by ref

  23. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Kinda needs an inquest into Argentina’s nonsense…

  24. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
    • 9 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Forest man does it again

  25. PartyTime
    • 5 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Hahahaha Spain robbed there

  26. EmreCan Hustle
    • 13 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    No VAR here?

    1. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
      • 9 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      VAR looking noe

      1. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
        • 9 Years
        1 day, 4 hours ago

        *now

    2. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      Ref blew whistle too fast

  27. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
    • 9 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Otamendi still got it, feels like 10 years since he was playing for City in the prem

  28. Haa-lala-land
    • 5 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    The conspiracy theorists are going to be going through the roof now

  29. JBG
    • 8 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    If Argentina somehow win this...

  30. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Merino.. that was the moment.. huge miss!