Spain and Argentina are set to face off in Sunday's World Cup final in New Jersey, with the trophy and a place in football history at stake. This marks only the second FIFA World Cup meeting between the two sides, with Argentina winning their previous encounter 2-1 in the 1966 group stage.
According to the Opta supercomputer, Spain enter the final as favorites, winning 59.6% of 25,000 pre-match simulations, while Argentina successfully defended their title in 40.4%. In terms of 90-minute outcomes, Spain won in 45% of simulations, a draw occurred in 29%, and Argentina won in 26%.
Fans are closely following Lionel Messi's final training session, the Golden Boot race, a viral image of a baby Lamine Yamal with the Argentine legend, and what many see as a symbolic passing of the torch, with the Spanish teenager aiming to become football's next global superstar.
Smoke from Canadian wildfires has blanketed much of the northeastern US, triggering health alerts, but a cold front expected over the weekend will help dissipate the haze in time for the final. Over 80,000 people are expected at the open-air stadium, with another 50,000 watching from Central Park in Manhattan.
Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic will officiate the Argentina-Spain final, becoming the first Slovenian to referee a men's World Cup final. The 46-year-old previously officiated the 2024 UEFA Champions League final. His appointment comes after refereeing decisions involving Argentina drew scrutiny during the tournament.
Messi shared an emotional message on Instagram ahead of the final, thanking his teammates, coaching staff, and fans. "The most beautiful thing about all these years was never just the titles, but the entire journey," he wrote.
Times Square has transformed into a "sea of blue and white" as passionate Argentine fans gather. Notably, Cape Verde became the only team that neither Spain nor Argentina managed to beat in regulation time during the tournament, holding Spain to a draw and pushing Argentina to extra time.
Argentina's ambassador to Israel presented Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a football jersey ahead of the final. Netanyahu stated he is supporting Argentina and has a great relationship with President Javier Milei.
Source: www.aljazeera.com