​Five weeks after the start of the biggest football tournament in history, the moment the world has awaited for years is nearly here—the FIFA World Cup final. Spain, the reigning European champions, will take on defending champions Argentina in a showdown that promises to be unforgettable. For Spain, it is the final hurdle in their pursuit of a second World Cup title, coming 16 years after their first triumph. For Argentina, the dream is to make history by becoming only the third nation to win consecutive World Cups.
Here are the top 10 things you need to know before Sunday’s final in New York, United States:
First, a moment that captured the imagination on social media: the now-viral image of a young Lionel Messi appearing to bathe baby Lamine Yamal during a 2007 TV advertisement. Initially, many fans suspected it was AI-generated, but the photo is real and dates back to that year. In a UNICEF fundraising shoot at Barcelona’s Camp Nou, a 20-year-old Messi met Yamal, who was only five months old at the time, accompanied by his mother, Sheila Ebana. Nearly two decades later, Messi and Yamal are set to face each other in a World Cup final that transcends generations. As photographer Joan Monfort told BBC Sport, “It is a true miracle of destiny.” The September 2007 photo shows a young Messi, already well into his illustrious Barcelona journey, helping to bathe six-month-old Yamal with Ebana by his side.
In another notable development surrounding the final, the White House announced that U.S. President Donald Trump would attend Sunday’s World Cup final in New Jersey—his first appearance at the tournament. He is set to co-present the trophy, alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino, to the captain of the winning team. Trump’s involvement with the tournament has been a subject of controversy. Although he did not attend any of the 48-team tournament’s matches, he played a role off the field by pressing Infantino to reconsider a red-card decision against U.S. striker Folarin Balogun. FIFA later overturned the suspension, allowing Balogun to play in the quarterfinals against Belgium—a decision that drew criticism and highlighted the growing intersection of politics and sport.
Traditionally, the heads of state from the finalist nations attend the final, but Argentina’s president, Javier Milei, will not travel to New Jersey. Instead, he plans to watch the final from his presidential residence, just as he did for Argentina’s seven World Cup matches on the road to the final. He will also wear the same heavy jacket he has worn for each match, maintaining a ritual that has become part of this historic campaign.
As these developments illustrate, the final is about more than the match itself. It is a clash of generations, a test of endurance and strategy, and a moment when politics, history, and national pride intertwine with sport. As Spain eyes a second world title and Argentina pursues back-to-back glory, the world’s attention will be fixed on Jersey, where players and fans alike will write the closing chapter of this extraordinary tournament. The air in New York and the surrounding area will be charged with anticipation, hopeful bated breaths, and the belief that this final may redefine what the World Cup means to a new generation of fans.