Entering its second consecutive World Cup final, Argentina's journey to defending their 2022 title was nothing but wild. From Lionel Messi becoming the tournament's all-time leading goalscorer to four straight comeback wins, it was going to be difficult to keep Argentina out of the final. Argentina will face Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, marking the second time the two countries have competed on the World Cup stage. The matchup will feature some of soccer's biggest stars, including Messi and 19-year-old Lamine Yamal going head-to-head. Here's everything to know about Argentina's journey to the 2026 World Cup final. Is This Lionel Messi's Last World Cup? Despite still playing at a high level, the 39-year-old Messi could retire from international competition after this tournament. If Messi were to continue competing, he'd be 43 years old in the 2030 World Cup, which would tie him for the second-oldest player to play in a World Cup, next to Colombia's Faryd Mondragn. Did Argentina Win The World Cup? While Argentina is in contention for a fourth World Cup title on Sunday, they've previously won it in 1978, 1986 and 2022. Has Lionel Messi Won A World Cup? Messi won the 2022 World Cup with Argentina. Messi scored a brace before Argentina topped France in penalty kicks. On top of the title, Messi also took home his second Golden Ball award, awarded to the tournament's best player. How Many Times Has Argentina Won The World Cup? As we previously mentioned, Argentina has won the World Cup three times: 1978, 1986 and most recently in 2022. Their previous two title wins were led by captain Diego Maradona, defeating the Netherlands 3-1 in 1978 and a 3-2 win over West Germany in 1986. Their 2022 win was their first title win determined by penalties. World Cup England vs. Argentina Results Argentina stormed back to defeat England 2-1 in the semifinals on Wednesday. After trailing 1-0 in the 55th minute, Enzo Fernndez netted Argentina's first goal in the 85th minute, and Lautaro Martinez's header sealed its win in stoppage time to advance to the final. Who Did Argentina Beat In The World Cup? Argentina has won all seven matches it has played so far. It defeated Algeria, Austria and Jordan in group play. Argentina needed extra time to outlast Cape Verde in the round of 32 and needed a thrilling comeback to beat Egypt in the round of 16. Argentina needed extra time again to advance in the quarterfinals, beating Switzerland. Finally, Argentina completed a comeback victory over England in the semifinal on Wednesday. Who's Leading The 2026 Golden Boot Race? After the semifinals, Messi and France's Kylian Mbapp are currently tied with eight goals apiece. Not far behind with six goals are England's Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, along with France's Ousmane Dembl. Messi holds an edge over Mbapp for first place in the Golden Boot race thanks to his four assists in this tournament. Assists are the first tiebreaker in the Golden Boot race. Messi currently has the best odds at -250 to win the award, and Mbapp sits right behind with +200 odds.

Here's how the two finalists could line up on Sunday

LeBron James still hasnt announced which team hell play for next season. Many NBA stars are reportedly communicating with him, trying to persuade him to join them. Bryce Harper entered the conversation by pitching to the 41-year-old to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers.The Philadelphia Phillies first baseman shared that he believes James will end his career with his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, he enticed him by highlighting that the 76ers recently acquired Jaylen Brown and that Philadelphia is a crazy city.MORE: LeBron James ex-teammate sends Cavs warning amid NBA free agencyIdontknow, I thinkhesgoingtotheCavs, Harper said. Ithinkhesgoing back home to end his career there. But you never know. I think. obviously, they got (a) couple guys over there (who) are pretty fun to play with. We got Jaylen Brown. So I dont know. Youwanttocometoacrazy cityandhavesomefun,Imean,thisisit.Reports suggested that the former Los Angeles Lakers forward will announce his decision this week; however, he appears to be taking his time. The 7ers, Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat are rumored to be the frontrunners to land him.May 9, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) warms up prior to game three of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn ImagesLeBron James potential fit with the 76ersPhiladelphia bolstered its roster this offseason by trading for Brown from the Boston Celtics. They also signed Anfernee Simons and Dean Wade in free agency after drafting Labaron Philon Jr. at No. 22 overall. James potential addition will plug the teams hole at the forward spots, as he can play at both positions.The 76ers roster is already stacked and they are considered an early favorite to win the title next year. However, it certainly wont hurt adding a four-time NBA champion and 22-time All-Star to their lineup. He could be the missing piece in their quest to win their first title since 1983.

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Spain is back in the World Cup final since winning it all in 2010 over the Netherlands in Johannesburg at the first ever edition to be hosted on the African continent. In those 16 years, much has changed (i.e, the number of qualified teams) while some things have stayed the same (Lionel Messi and Ronaldo still playing). For fans both young and old, the Spain team that brought home its first World Cup between two European championships (2008 and 2012) was a dynasty. La Roja defined a style of play known as Tika Tika that combined artistry, intricate passing, and a flair for creativity on the pitch. That title run even made the top 10 of our 100 best World Cup moments. One of the things that the World Cup does best is tug at the strings of nostalgia. As we get ready for Sunday's showdown between Messi (who was 22 years in South Africa) and Lamine Yamal (barely a four-year-old kid), let's look back at the summer that was 2010. Waka Waka And Wavin' Flag Gave Us Iconic Anthems We were treated to not one but two songs that will be forever tied to the 2010 World Cup. Shakira was already a global superstar when she dropped "Waka Waka" in the run-up to the tournament. With nods to the host nation and the rest of the continent, along with a memorable chorus and choreographed dance, the time for Africa will never truly stop. But not to be overshadowed were the inspirational beats and rhymes of K'naan, who delivered yet another earworm with Wavin Flag.' The song was often played after teams scored a goal in the tournament and encapsulated how the World Cup can often highlight cultures from across the globe coming together. Paul The Octupus Predicts It All The octopus is considered one of the most intelligent creatures of the sea as well as one of the tastiest. That's why, during the knockout rounds of the 2010 World Cup, an octupus at a German aquarium named Paul became a worldwide sensation for picking eight games correctly including Spain's win in the final. How did he do it? By hovering over two boxes placed in his habitat that were adorned with the flags of the matchups. Each one had a mussel in it, and the one Paul wrapped his tentacle to grab his snack was his pick. As with many famous cuddly creatures, Paul caused such a stir that fans of losing teams called on him to be eaten. The Spanish government even offered Paul asylum, but he remained in Germany, where he died of natural causes in October of that year. Minions, Vampires And Mr. Stark Ruled The Box Office You're forgiven if you equally entertained that summer by some massive blockbuster movies that introduced us to the Minions and made us decide between Team Edward and Team Jacob. On the day of the June 11 final, both Despicable Me' and the anticipated sequel to Twilight (aka "Twilight: Eclipse") ruled the box office numbers in the United States. Other summer smashes included the third installment of the "Toy Story" franchise, "Iron Man 2," and the genre-bending flick "Inception" starring Leonardo DiCaprio. All these movies live on in our hearts, or at least through countless memes and GIFs. Katy Perry Proved Undeniable Like It's Dynamite The aforementioned World Cup songs weren't the only tunes on the summer's soundtrack. Katy Perry had us West Coast dreamin' with "California Gurls" which was the No. 1 in the U.S. on the day of the final while Taio Cruz was making us throw our hands in the air as we belted out the refrain to "Dynamite." Frankly, there are too many classics to list here from that summer to say which one was the best, so just take your pick from anything by Rihanna or Flo Rida. Big Papi Wins MLB Home Run Derby On the day after La Roja won the World Cup, one of the star players for Las Medias Rojas (Spanish for the Red Sox) was putting on a show at Angels Stadium in Anahiem. Boston slugger David Ortiz had an iconic night in which he hit 32 homers at the Home Run Derby. He remains the only Red Sox player to win the competition, and he'd win his third World Series ring the following season in 2011. Top NFL Pick Sam Bradford Had The Rams Hoping The summer of 2010 saw the Rams hoping that Sam Bradford could bring his Heisman Trophy-winning ways to St. Louis after making the Oklahoma quarterback the No. 1 pick of the NFL draft earlier in the year. The Rams finished 7-9 in a season that saw the Pittsburgh Steelers claim their sixth Super Bowl title in win over the Green Packers in the 2010-11 postseason.

McGregor's first fight in over five years was a massive success

There was speculation that LeBron James would use an appearance at Fanatics Fest in New York on Thursday to announce his decision about his next destination.No such luck.Tyrese Haliburton was the guest co-host for the live taping of the "Mind the Game" podcast, and Hali tried, as reported by Dave McMenamin of ESPN."Is there a decision that still has to be made?" Haliburton asked..."We literally talked about this in the back, Rese," James said, reiterating that revealing his next team would not be on the agenda."OK, my fault, my fault," Haliburton replied. "I didn't know if you wanted to ... OK, OK, I'll leave it alone."However, later in the day at the Boardroom Game Plan presented by CNBC Sport (also at Fanatics Fest), LeBron did say a decision is coming sooner rather than later. However, he added this is not easy and there is a lot that goes into it for him, including thinking about spending time with his now former teammate Bronny (who is staying with the Lakers, don't expect a trade), Bryce (playing his second year in college at Arizona), and his daughter, Zhuri, 11, who will stay in Los Angeles with LeBron's wife and her mother, Savannah."People are like, 'hurry up and make a damn decision, LeBron.' It's not just about the team," he said. "There's so many other factors that I'm factoring in right now: What best fits me as a player, what best fits me as a person, what best fits me and my happiness and also my family as well. I won't hold you guys up too much longer, but the family portion is huge for me."LeBron later added, "It's going to be pretty fun wherever I land. I'm going to do what I do best."The timing is good news for NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who stepped on stage at the same Game Plan event and said LeBron is starting to hold up league business."We have to finish up the schedule and where LeBron plays affects the schedule..." Silver said. "It will influence how we set the schedule: Opening week, Christmas. So I need him to make a decision."Final Pitches to LeBronWhile LeBron is reportedly still talking to potential future teammates, the pitches to LeBron are pretty much done and everyone is waiting. Donovan Mitchell made his final pitch for LeBron to return to Cleveland.I mean its home, weve done it once, lets do it again, simple as that, - Donovan Mitchell on his pitch to LeBron James to return to the Cavs. pic.twitter.com/Y9fuH5on2V ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) July 16, 2026League sources continue to tell NBC Sports that another return to Cleveland is the most likely outcome. However, other reports say Miami and Philadelphia are seriously in the mix. Golden State, and reuniting with Stephen Curry, or signing to play the four at Minnesota reportedly also are under consideration, but the reports suggest LeBron wants to win and realizes what that road looks like in the West, so he is likely headed back to the Eastern Confernece (which has the defending champions and teams that got better, but does not have the Thunder or Spurs powerhouses looming at the top). Honestly, Pat Riley of the Heat said it best: At this point, everybody is just waiting for LeBron to announce his decision.Pat Riley on the #Heat being in the LeBron James sweepstakes: I don't know.To be transparent about it, we've had discussions over a week ago, maybe a week before that about it, but right now I think we're like everybody else, we're just waiting to see what he does pic.twitter.com/f7Dn5n4Coe Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) July 16, 2026When LeBron does make his decision, a lot of other dominoes are going to fall quickly, as the teams that miss out will pivot to other moves, and there will be a mini-rush of signings. However, most teams have wrapped up their business, and there is not that much left to do. What does remain waits on LeBron.

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With the sun obstructed by haze, Spain's players practiced Thursday ahead of the World Cup final outside in northern New Jersey while air conditions are hazardous because of smoke from Canadian wildfires. It was not clear how fast-paced a practice Spain held. Media members are only able to observe the first 15 minutes of what was scheduled to be a hourlong session in East Hanover beginning at 11 a.m. EDT. Argentina remained in the Atlanta area to work out less than 24 hours after rallying to beat England and reach the final for a second consecutive tournament. Marietta, Georgia, is far enough south to avoid the effects of the fire, which are being windblown to the southeast from northern Ontario, triggering warnings from the U.S. Midwest through the Northeast. Officials urged people to stay inside or wear masks outside as air quality reached unhealthy to hazardous levels, meaning its unhealthy for anyone, regardless of health conditions. Experts expressed concern over holding practice outdoors. "These are high-level athletes who are moving a lot of air through their lungs during every practice in every game, and really they shouldnt be practicing outside if the air quality levels are at hazardous sort of ranges for wildfire-related air pollution," said Dr. Courtney Howard, an emergency room physician and Global Climate and Health Alliance official. "Thats the time to schedule a practice inside. You could put an N95 mask on them, but trying to make sure that everybodys mask is well-fitted, I suspect thats not the best choice. I would go find an air-conditioned indoor facility thats a clean-air shelter." Messages sent to FIFA and the Spanish Football Association asking whether that was considered or possible were not immediately returned. The smoke is expected to clear the area well before the championship game Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with kickoff scheduled for 3 p.m. The air quality in East Hanover on Thursday started early in the morning as "unhealthy" but got cleaner, so by mid-afternoon it was merely "unhealthy for sensitive groups," according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys Air Now monitoring system. Particle pollution in New Jersey on Thursday was more than seven times higher than the World Health Organization standard. The forecast calls for an improvement to "moderate" for Sunday. Smoke from wildfires which are burning more of North America as Earth warms attacks nearly every system in the body, killing tens of thousands of people a year, numerous medical studies show. It attacks the body immediately, spiking asthma cases with increased ambulance runs within hours. Smoke can trigger inflammation in different parts of the body, often attacking a persons weakest points, which can then cascade into different effects of an immune system trying to fight a nasty irritant, doctors and scientists said. "Its not healthy for anyone to be in the smoke, especially if youre exercising," Harvard School of Public Health environmental health research scientist Mary Johnson said. "You're exchanging more air, so youre being exposed to even more pollutants, and even healthy individuals at some point will have some type of health effect from the exposure to the smoke. So, even though these are healthy, young individuals, its not a good idea to be exercising in this type of environment." Scientists have counted at least 1,000 toxins in wildfire smoke, according to Colorado State University environmental toxicologist Luke Montrose. "If I gave you a list you would recognize some of these as being very bad often times associated with the burning of diesel fuel or cigarette smoke things like formaldehyde or volatile organic compounds," Montrose said. "Just the smoke itself can be bad." Reporting by the Associated Press.

Dawn Staley offered her support, saying she was glad McDaniel felt 'safe' to make the decision