Spain Dominates France, Argentina Edges England On The Way To The FIFA World Cup 2026 Finals
16 Jul, 2026
- ⚽ Spain beat France 2-0 and have conceded just one goal in seven matches this World Cup
- 🔥 Enzo Fernández (85') and Lautaro Martínez (90+2') flipped the game on England, both goals assisted by Messi
- 🏆 Sunday's final: European champions vs defending world champions — winner takes immortality
It's official: Spain vs Argentina, Sunday, July 19, New York New Jersey Stadium. The best defence on the planet against the team that simply refuses to die.
The road there gave us two unforgettable nights. In Arlington, Spain strangled France's superstar attack in a 2-0 masterclass. Twenty-four hours later in Atlanta, England led with five minutes to go — and still lost 2-1, because Lionel Messi decided it wasn't over.
How Did Spain Shut Down France?
The hype called it France's firepower vs Spain's wall. The wall didn't crack. It didn't even shake.
- 22' — Lamine Yamal, one day past his 19th birthday, was clipped in the box by Lucas Digne. Mikel Oyarzabal buried the penalty. 1-0.
- 58' — Pedro Porro played a silky one-two with Dani Olmo and passed it into the bottom corner. 2-0.
- Yamal even had a third in the net — flagged offside.
Now the scary part. Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise combined for just 0.3 xG from 10 shots — the most feared attack in the tournament, reduced to nothing. Spain have allowed one goal in seven games (Belgium, and nobody else) and are unbeaten in 37 straight matches across two full years.
The reward: Spain's first World Cup final since they lifted the trophy in 2010. The fallout: no third straight final for France, and Didier Deschamps' era ends in Saturday's third-place game.
Did Argentina Really Come Back AGAIN?
Yes. Again. At this point, leading against Argentina late is the most dangerous position in football.
This was the first meeting between these rivals in 21 years, and it had everything — flying tackles, cards before halftime, and Ismail Elfath making history as the first American man to referee a World Cup semifinal.
- 55' — Anthony Gordon tapped in Morgan Rogers' cross. 1-0 England, sixty years of waiting almost over.
- Then England dropped deep. Way too deep, way too early.
- 85' — Enzo Fernández detonated a long-range equalizer.
- 90+2' — Lautaro Martínez rose and headed in the winner.
- Both goals: created by Messi. At 39. Against England for the first time in his career.
That's four straight knockout escapes for the champions — extra time vs Cape Verde, down 2-0 to Egypt and back, extra time vs Switzerland, and now this. For England, the wound is horribly familiar: 2-1 in the semifinal, the exact scoreline of 2018, stacked on top of Euro 2020 and Euro 2024 final heartbreak. Even Harry Kane admitted it: England stopped keeping the ball, and Argentina took the game away.
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Who Leads The Golden Boot?
Down to the wire. Messi and Mbappé: 8 goals each — but Messi's two assists in Atlanta put him top on the tiebreaker, one assist clear. Mbappé's final answer comes in Saturday's third-place game vs England. Messi's comes on the biggest stage there is.
What's At Stake On Sunday?
- Argentina: win, and they're the first back-to-back champions since Brazil in 1962
- Spain: win, and it's a second star plus the European and world crowns held at once
- The matchup writes itself: Spain haven't lost in two years. Argentina haven't been dead yet. Something gives on Sunday.
Warm-up act: France vs England, Saturday, for third place — two wounded giants, zero pressure, goals likely.
Whoever lifts it, we're crowning an all-time great — and with a final this tight, there's never been a better weekend to back your pick at Roshtein's sportsbook.
