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

    Three Spurs defenders in the WC final.
    Porro, Romero and now Senesi.

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

      Romero should be run out of town for parading that banner.

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

      They will be much much better next season, will be where most of the bargains are to be had defo

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

    MeriNO

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

    Argentina are going to do it aren’t they..

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  4. JBG
    • 8 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Not even shouting/cheering on Argentina, screaming Messi, with big crazy eyes. Disturbing zoom in on supporters just then.

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

    How can they be called Champions after playing like this?

    Not just the lack of football, but the dirty tactics.

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

    HT show incoming. Its Bieber and Muppets time, again.

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

    A team with not a single shot, a single chance, a single effort towards anywhere in the direction of spain goal.. need to hold 15 mins for the lottery

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  8. nonaynever
    • 11 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    with hindsight, our teams should had defenders from this & outfield players from yesterday

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

    Yeeeeessssssssss

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  10. JBG
    • 8 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Get iiin!!!!

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

    Ferran Torres!!!

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

      Must be the worst player to score in a World Cup final

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      1. BUZZBOMB ♡
        • 11 Years
        1 month, 18 days ago

        Aye Jim but football - at least the closest thing to it that we know - amidst this pantomime is winning now.

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

          Dos cervezas por favor

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          1. BUZZBOMB ♡
            • 11 Years
            1 month, 18 days ago

            Un trago de vino por el camino por favor. Only thing I can say.

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

        Materazzi

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

          No chance

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

            He scored in 2006 final believe it or not lol

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

              No way he was a worse player than Torres haha

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

                Nah he was awful, even flopped at Everton.
                Dirty poor defender

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        2. BUZZBOMB ♡
          • 11 Years
          1 month, 18 days ago

          Materazzi v Zenedine Zidanne. Too many z's in that.

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

        U r always negative right?? Whats ur problem with ferran torres now?

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

          He’s not a very good player, I thought I’d made that quite clear???

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

            U know nothing about football. Just biased opinions. He is probably one of best finishers spain has. Guy scores world cup winning goal and u criticize.. another dumb biased comment by you

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  12. CoracAld2831
    • 5 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    1-0 Spain

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    1. CoracAld2831
      • 5 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Torres goal, Williams assist

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

    Fernando Torres!!!!

    Jeez the guy has still got it, amazing

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

      Oh Ferran misread lol

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

    Great assist Nico

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  15. DeSelby
    • 4 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Thank the lord. VAR better not take that away.

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

    Trust Argentina to do what they did vs England and start actuallly playing now lol

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

      *actually

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

    Well no neutral can say its undeserved

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    1. CoracAld2831
      • 5 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Argentina has.been absolutely shocking in this match.

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

    I knew there'd be a goal when I went for a wee.

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

      Hopefully we get hydration breaks in ET next WC for this reason.

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

    They will just keeping adding time on now until golden boy equalises lol

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

    Scaloni did same mistake like tuchel. Knowing spain could score any minute, he plays his last sub to get another defender. Should have brought lautaro for alvarez

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  21. Defcons are for Kinnear
    • 13 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    If Spain were England they'd go to a back 5

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

      *11

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  22. The Knights Template
    • 12 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    I can’t say this is deserved. Neutral, if that helps?

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

    It’s frustrating isn’t it, why couldn’t Argentina have been this bad vs England.
    Sometimes you just gotta be lucky I guess on the day with cards dealt

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

      If Spain had subbed on Grimaldo and Pubill instead of Nico and Merino, like Tuchel did....

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

        Get Southgate back

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

    Argentina : 0 shots in 2 hours of football.
    One RC.
    Spain have had 20 shots
    Anyone saying its "boring" have one team only to blame for that (Arg)
    Also, Messi doing a Kane and going missing

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

    And damn England winning World Cup would have really sorted economy out

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

    Spain, bring Dan Burn on, ffs…

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    1. Defcons are for Kinnear
      • 13 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      The Mediterranean diet doesn't produce such specimens

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

    Ultimate showboating fail 😆

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

    Mbappe Golden Boot

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  29. JBG
    • 8 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Oh fck off... genuinely thought they scored

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  30. CoracAld2831
    • 5 Years
    1 month, 18 days ago

    Spain are the winners of World Cup 2026.

    Argentina is the runner up.

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    1. CoracAld2831
      • 5 Years
      1 month, 18 days ago

      Possibly the worst final ever.

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

        A classic compared to 2010.

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