No upcoming match
When the next fixture is scheduled, it will appear here.
Spain arrived as the tightest defence in 60 years. Argentina arrived as the comeback kings with a 39-year-old still rewriting the record book. The World Cup 2026 final is a clash of two football identities, and the Opta numbers tell the whole story.
Mac Allister, Alvarez and Lautaro did the scoring. Messi pulled the strings. Argentina are into the World Cup 2026 semi-finals on the strength of a whole squad, not one man - and that is exactly what makes the champions so hard to knock out.
The holders open their title defence against an Algeria side with real attacking upside. We break down the tactical battle, the form lines and the six players worth tracking - no scorelines, just the angles.
