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Spain and Argentina will meet in the World Cup final on Sunday, with Argentina bidding to become the first team in 64 years to successfully defend the title, according to multiple reports. The match, which kicks off at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, is almost certainly the final World Cup appearance of Lionel Messi's career, as reported by the Buenos Aires Times and Dawn.

Coverage comparison

The Buenos Aires Times and Dawn both report that Argentina are defending champions after winning the 2022 World Cup against France on penalties, and that Messi will play in his third World Cup final, matching the achievement of Brazilian great Cafu. Both outlets also note that Spain's coach Luis de la Fuente mentored Argentina's coach Lionel Scaloni in 2018. ABC Australia's coverage focuses on the pre-match fan convention in New York City, where Messi appeared alongside athletes including Novak Djokovic and Tom Brady, and on the broader impact of the World Cup on the US sports market.

Key claims

  • Spain and Argentina will meet in the World Cup final, as reported by the Buenos Aires Times and Dawn.
  • Argentina are bidding to become the first nation to defend the World Cup trophy since Brazil in 1962, a claim carried by the Buenos Aires Times and Dawn.
  • Lionel Messi will play in his third World Cup final, a claim carried by the Buenos Aires Times and Dawn.
  • Spain's coach Luis de la Fuente mentored Argentina's coach Lionel Scaloni in 2018, a claim carried by the Buenos Aires Times and Dawn.
  • Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez said thinking about his team's success sometimes brings him to tears, as reported by the Buenos Aires Times. "Honestly sometimes I cry to myself thinking about what we have achieved. I am just trying to enjoy the moment," Martínez told reporters in New York City ahead of the final.
  • US President Donald Trump will attend the final, according to the Buenos Aires Times and Dawn.
  • The World Cup final will feature a 25-30 minute half-time interval for a Super Bowl-style concert featuring Madonna, Shakira and Justin Bieber, as reported by the Buenos Aires Times and Dawn.
  • ABC Australia reported that a pre-match press conference was held as part of a sports fan convention in New York City, with comedian Kevin Hart co-hosting alongside former England international Rio Ferdinand, as Novak Djokovic, Tom Brady, and Kevin Durant asked questions of Spanish and Argentine representatives. Messi attended the event and answered questions from fans and athletes, and a photo opportunity with Messi and other athletes was featured.

Perspectives

Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez expressed deep emotion about his team's achievements, saying he sometimes cries when thinking about what they have accomplished. "I am focused only on winning. The whole team has improved so much and this is something we have spent years building," he said, according to the Buenos Aires Times. He urged his teammates to enjoy the moment and prepare with smiles on their faces.

ABC Australia noted that the pre-match fan convention was "very loud and flashy" and that most attendees had little interest in listening to the Spanish and Argentine representatives once Messi stepped onto the stage, commanding the room. The outlet also observed that Messi seemed to enjoy the adulation or has grown so accustomed to it that he responds with polite humility.