Argentina will face Spain in the 2026 World Cup final, a historic matchup between the top two FIFA-ranked teams. The final is Sunday at 3 p.m. EST at New York New Jersey Stadium.
The defending champions' path has been defined by dramatic comebacks. Argentina never led a knockout match before the 90th minute. Their run included two extra-time victories and multiple games decided in the final minutes.
In the Round of 32, they survived a massive scare against Cape Verde. A late own goal saved them from what would have been the largest upset by FIFA rankings in knockout-stage history.
The Round of 16 produced one of the greatest comebacks ever. Trailing Egypt 2-0 in the 79th minute, Argentina scored three goals in 13 minutes to win 3-2. Their win probability at that moment was just 0.6%.
The pattern continued in the quarterfinals and semifinals, with Argentina finding late goals to advance. According to Opta, Argentina had a 1.3% chance of winning their semifinal within 90 minutes in the 84th minute.
Lionel Messi has been central to the run. He scored his first career World Cup hat trick, extended his record for most World Cup goals, and now holds the record for scoring or assisting in 11 consecutive matches.
Argentina's seventh World Cup final appearance ties Brazil for second-most all-time. The team is on a record 14-game winning streak and has scored multiple goals in 13 straight World Cup matches.