Spain against Argentina. Two powerhouses are battling for the most prestigious trophy in world football.Sunday's World Cup final in East Rutherford, just outside of New York, has much more to offer than just the showdown between superstars Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal.Here, dpa takes a look at what speaks in favour of defending champions Spain and what speaks in favor of European champions Spain.What can help Spain?Defensive strength: Spain have conceded just one goal on their way to the final - in their 2-1 quarter-final victory over Belgium. Prior to that, goalkeeper Unai Simn went 649 minutes without conceding a goal, setting a World Cup record.Left back Marc Cucurella, in particular, stands out from the defensive unit as a tireless fighter. But his counterpart on the opposite flank, Pedro Porro, also has a major impact on the game and scored his first two international goals at this World Cup. This partinership helped Spain shut down France's magical offence in the semi-finals.Flexibility: Spain's style of play is focused on possession and control, but that's not all. One of the things that Luis de la Fuente's team can do really well is to adapt to any situation, according to captain Rodri."We're a very well-rounded team, and that's why we're here," the midfielder emphasized. The 30-year-old expects an extremely physical match against Argentina.If the Spanish team remains as composed as they have so far, however, they shouldn't let any potential provocations from the South Americans throw them off their game.Oyarzabal: Everyone's talking about Messi and Yamal. But the Spanish team has another ace up their sleeve. Forward Mikel Oyarzabal has already scored five goals in this tournament - and he's a specialist when it comes to finals.The 29-year-old has scored in each of his six finals as a professional so far: with Real Sociedad in two Spanish Cup finals, with the national team in two Nations League finals, as well as the decisive goal in the 2024 European Championship final, and with the Olympic team in Tokyo five years ago. A remarkable record.What can help Argentina?Messi: Too old? Lionel Messi is apparently never too old. The 39-year-old is having an outstanding World Cup, with eight goals and four assists to his name.He's carrying this team, he's carrying the entire nation. Sure, he takes his breaks on the pitch. But: He's there when it counts. His team-mates look up to him and seek him out when things gets tough. That's likely how it will be in the final, which will probably be Messi's last World Cup match.The game will also be his chance to retake the overall World Cup scoring record, which was taken by Kylian Mbapp as he scored two goals for France in the 6-4 defeat to England in the match for third place. Mbapp has 22 goals and Messi is one behind.Mentality: The South Americans' style of play thrives on emotion. They take the field with incredible heart and passion. The happy faces in the stands or back home is what inspires them, explained coach Lionel Scaloni.That support helped Argentina to overcome several close calls during the tricky knock-out stage. They went into extra-time against Cape Verde and Switzerland, and saved themselves with late goals against Egypt and England. You can never count out the Albiceleste.Experience: Spain are entering the tournament with the confidence of a European champion. However, Argentina's roster still includes 17 members of the 2022 World Cup-winning squad. Key players from the starting line-up that defeated France in the final in Qatar back then are once again playing crucial roles: goalkeeper Emiliano Martnez, for example, superstar Messi, and striker Julin lvarez.Coach Scaloni is a true trophy collector: In addition to the World Cup trophy, Argentina have also won the Copa Amrica twice (2021 and 2024) during his tenure.

Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe settle for the chance for third place, and you can bet on England vs. France at the 2026 World Cup on FanDuel

Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!It's not Saturday Night Live, but tonight is Saturday Night's Main Event, where the stars of WWE will battle it out two weeks before SummerSlam. And tonight's card could have a lot to do with what we see in Minnesota.We'll take you to Madison Square Garden where all the action takes place. We'll update you through every bump, bruise and we'll be right there when New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson chops it up with the Tribal Chief.Champions meet: Roman Reigns and Jalen BrunsonShould have been you, Tyrese Maxey. Shoutout Tom Dougherty. I really wish it was the Sixers hanging with the Tribal Chief. Anyway, they'r reliving fun times at the Garden. I don't care for this. But they say Brunson is the newest King of New York. They announced Jalen Brunson who is learly happy to be there. I'm happy for him. Imagine reaching the top of your career and then being honored by WWE in front of 15,000 who love you? Pretty darn cool. And we are Roman Reigns fans, so we have that in common. He hugged KAThausen on way out. NOw he's walking through the fans and he meets up with Roman Reigns. Brunson is joining the Bloodline, huh? The Garden loves Roman. Everyone is acknowledging the Tribal Chief as they head to the ring. Brunson looks like he'd fit right in. Dude, ya already won an NBA title. Make the jump! They throw their 1s up in the aisle and they head to the ring. This is Brunson's first time in the Garden since winning the NBA title. Roman and Brunson look like they're enjoying this. So ar the fans. Happy for New York, and I don't mind saying that. Roman has the mic, I guess we're going over. Fans chant MVP. Roman said "What are we doing out here?" He said this is where greatness acknowledges greatness. He said this city is the home of WWE, it's true. He said fans make him feel like he's home too. Reigns says 53 years was way too long. Reigns said it took everyone on the roster, but there's only one captain. "The Finals MVP. NBA Champion. And the King of New York. But you see, here in the WWE, every champion needs a title. So the Tribal Cheif made some moves." Reigns then gets a WWE Championship for Brunson in Blue and Orange. "Not only does he deerve it, this man earned it," Reigns said. He then asked the crowd to acknowledge Brunson and himself as they raised their belts high in the air. Of course then Seth Rollins' music played. Not the time or the place, Seth! But it's not Seth. It's Tyrese Haliburton with a chair. Rollins takes a chair from Haliburton and clobers Roman. Rollins sets up a chair in the midle of the ring, setting up a stomp. But Brunson stands in the way. He says no. Rollins isn't happy. He tells Seth it's his house. Reigns hits a Superman punch and a spear and he and Hailburton run away.Reigns puts the belt on Brunson, straps his belt on Brunsons shoulder and Reigns picks up the NBA Championship. Very cool. CM Punk and Cody Rhodes vs. Sami Zayn and GuntherLooks like we're closing the show with the Tribal Chief. Fair enough. First we decide the championship match for CM Punk at Summer Slam. Will it be him against Cody Rhodes, or a fourway with Rhodes, Zayn and Gunther. We'll soon find out. They interview Cody Rhodes and CM Punk. They'er playing up their friendship while trading jabs. Punk said it's business. They both say they will watch each others back so they have no excuses at SummerSlam. Cody is headed out first. Why are the good guys out first? The champ should be out last. But Cody is in the ring first. And next is Cola Man Phil. Is this their first time teaming up? Not counting War Games maybe. Cody is sitting Punk style in the ring. I don't think they did in AEW. I don't think they did during their first WWE run. I could be way off. They may have been tag team champs, but I odn't remember it.Gunther, who has had a lot of success on Saturday Night's Main Event, is out first for his side. Sami is out next and he looks happy and is shaking hands with fans. But he slaps Punk and the fight is on. Both teams are fighting, Sami and Punk, and Gunther and Cody. They get Sami in the ring and they start working on the arm. Cody and Punk are teaming well, working on Zayn's arm. But Punk gets caught in th ewrong corner and he eats a chop from Gunther. And another. And a third and he falls out of the ring. Two more outside. And a suplex on the barricade. Cody rolls Punk back in and Sami is pounding away. Punk is taking a beating. Hot tags rarely mean anything anymore. I have a feeling these four will make it count. Punk hits a cross body. He's trying to get to the tag. He does. Cody and Gunther now in. I was wrong, that meant little. Cody is taking it to Gunther. He Dusty's Sami, then hits a Cody Cutter on Gunther. Suicide dive on Sami, then another cody cutter on Gunther. Cody and Sami are now fighting, and Zayn gets the better of it. Sami goes for a Helluva kick, but Cody moves. Cody tags Punk who comes in with a clothesline, then a neckbreaker. Running kneelift and bulldog. Lots of action in this match. Punk goes to the outside and hits a Macho Man elbow. He goes for the Anocanda Vice and Rhodes slaps Gunther in the figure four. Gunther raked Punk's eyes to get out of it, then Sami saved Gunther. Punk hit with an exploder in the corner. Then the Helluva kick. But Cody hits CrossRhodes. Gunther hits a clothesline. Punk hits a G2S on Gunther and everyone is down. Strong match with a lot of action. Punk and Zayn looking to make tags, but nobody is home. Gunther tags in and puts Punk in a sleeper. Punk tags in COdy who hits a Crossrhodes on Gunther. As he's pinned, Sami broke it up by pushing Punk into Cody. Sami is now pounding away on both Punk and Cody. The ref (Charles Robinson) is down. Punk hits Sami with a G2S. Cody and Punk teaming up on Gunther. Cody went for a forearm but Gunther moved and Cody hit Punk. Gunther grabs the belt. He lays out Cody with the belt. Gunther with a powerbomb on Cody. Another official runs down but Nick Aldis pulls him out. Then Aldis nails Gunther with the belt. Punk hits the G2S, drapes Cody on Gunther and Cody and Punk win. CM Punk and Cody Rhodes vs. Sami Zayn and Gunther gradeThat match was really good. Great action, great storylines, I loved it. Grade: 97 out of 100. CM Punk and Cody Rhodes beat Sami Zayn and GuntherGreat match. Cody and Cm Punk worked well together, it will be fun to see where Nick Aldis vs. Gunther goes (guessing SummerSlam) and Sami Zayn has a lot going on. This match was awesome. I Loved it. Rhodes gives Punk the belt and they embrace. Punk "accidently" whacks Rhodes in the face with the belt as they leave. Bayley vs. Lyra ValkyraLyra Valkyra doesn't look good. She looks angry. Upset. Depressed. And she's going up against Bayley. This should be fun. They show some clips from Fanatics Fest, including Tom Brady slapping Logan Paul. God I hope that match happens. They show the Sixers owner. He's the only thing I don't like about the Sixers. And I really do dislike him.Bayley gives an interview before heading to the ring. SHe looks sad. Lyra looks like she just had a breakdown. It's a shame. Anyway, Lyra is out first and she's not her usual chipper self. My God, she has done a great job of changing her look. I liked her as a good girl, but lets hope she does great here too. Next out is Bayley. I'm glad she gets a match on SNME. These two deserve it. They are starting by brawling. Now they hit the outside and continue brawling. Lyra is busted open after taking a big punch. She is continuing with a busted nose. Lyra is bleeding bad. Bayley went for a Twist of Faith, but Lyra fights out. Lyra points to her nose and is now freaking out, ramming Bayley's head into the canvas. They are showing the nose shot a lot. And there is a lot of blood. This is how Becky Lynch caught fire. Bayley throws Lyra to the outside and the ref stops Bayley from attacking. Bayley hits a crossbody on the outside. She is taking it to Lyra. This has been a good match. Lyra is banged up. Her face is bloody, Bayley locks in a Boston Crab. Lyra fights out. This match has been physical. Every time Lyra tries to get into the match, Bayley stops it. Lyra hit a neckbreaker from the middle rope. Lyra hits a legdrop on the back of Bayley's neck but only gets a two count. She's bleeding and looks furious. This is way better than I expected, and I expected a good match from these two. They're slugging it out. Lyra gets the better of it. Bayley hits a suplex. Sunset flip bomb into the buckle. Bayley locks in the crossface right over the nose. That has to hurt. But Lyra fights out. Bayley goes for a roll up, but Lyra ducked her head and Bayley hits the top rope, throat first. Lyra locks in a submission choke on Bayley. She chokes her out and Lyra wins. What a match.Lyra Valkyria beats Bayley by submission That match featured none of what I expected. Hard hitting, they beat each other up good. Lyra kicks Bayley out of the ring before going to leave. She stops. She picks up Bayley and pushes her into the post. Then locks in the submission choke. It's the one Jon Moxley does. The ref breaks it up and Lyra goes to get the steps. She breaks them up, puts Bayley head first on the steps, then picks her up and hits her finish on the steps. Bayley is beat up bad. Sore winner, Lyra Valkyria.Lyra Valkyria vs. Bayley gradeCards on the table, I love both of these wrestlers and that match was way better than I expected. Grade: 93 out of 100. Danhausen vs. JD McDonaghThis is sadly the match I'm most looking forward to. I really enjoy Danhausen, anything he does is great. The main event should be fun, but I want to see how much human monies Danhausen makes tonight. Before McDonagh wrestles, he gives an interview while flanked by Dom Mysterio and Liv Morgan. They're such a cute family. Looks like only Dom is coming out with him, Liv went back. Dom has a Danhausen Knicks jersey. That doesn't belong to him, it belongs to Danhausen. Danhausen is dressed in Blue and Orange in favor of the Knickshausens. He enters the ring and we are ready to go. Danhausen is very happy. He's very nice and very evil you know. I would imagine this is his first time wrestling in MSG, but I'm not certain about that. McDonagh said he wasn't scared, but he immediately rolls out. Now Dom is trying to distract Danhausen and it works. McDonagh is pounding away on the nice ghoul. This is not a good start for Danny, as McDonagh continues to bounce his head off the table. Dom joins in on the fun, and remember this is a no disqualifcation match! You'd think the ghoul would have the edge, but so far he does not. McDonagh hits a snap suplex. Then a flying elbow but only gets a two count. Dom is shining his shoes with Danhausen's jersey. That's uncalled for. And Danhausen can do nothing because McDonagh is in complete control. McDonagh is a great wrestler. I'm glad he's getting to show it here and he continues to take apart Danhausen. Danhausen battles back and hits some massive chops. Now he does the 10 punches in the corner, but McDonagh fights out and hits a brainbuster. But McDonagh can't put him away. The jersey is back in the ring as McDonagh drapes it over Danhausen before missing a moonsault. Danhausen is Hausing up. He puts the jerseon on. The fans go nuts. But McDonagh slaps him. And again. Now Danhausen is fighting back. He hits an inverted atomic drop. He hits a suplext on Dom. Flying elbow on McDonagh. McDonagh rolls up Danhausen but only gets two. Then he goes for a suplex, but Danhausen turns it into a stunner. Only gets a two count. Danhausen is in control. He goes for a move, but Mysterio interferes again. Both men are beating up poor Danhausen. Mysterio is holding him while McDonagh headbutts him. They take the jersey off him. They tear it off. That's a shame. He treasured that. Probably could have sold it for human monies too. Especially at Fanatics Fest. Danhausen has the jersey and he heads to the back. No DQ, is there a countout? The miniHausens are there. A bunch of them. And they are attacking Mysterio and McDonagh. But the bigger men have little problem with the Mini-Hausens. They are beating them all up. Poor guys. Danhausen put a cat into the cloning maching. Will a bibger KAT come out? No spoilers, but they are in Knick Country. Myserio and McDonagh set up a table and look to put a Mini-Hausen on but the machine opwens and it's KATHausen. Karl-Anthony Towns is in the house, without a doubt. He's the center with clout! He makes his way to the ring weaing a Championhausen shirt. KAT hits a chokeslam on McDonagh. Then one on Mysterio through a table. KAT curses McDonagh, who hits the inverted DDT and Danhausen wins. KAT isn't known for assists, but he handed one out there. Danhausen pins JD McDonaghHe needed help from Karl-Anthony Towns, but Danhausen earns a huge win over his rival JD McDonagh. Danhausen Death Drop does it, as Danhausen, KAT and Mini-Hausens celebrate at hte Garden. Very cool for KAT, very cool for Danhausen, great match. Danhausen vs. JD McDonagh gradeIt would have been better if it was Tyrese Maxey helping Danhausen, but KAT was pretty darn cool too. I enjoy that stuff. Grade: 91 out of 100. Brie Bella and Paige vs. Fatal InfluenceIf you're going to start the show, you might as well do it with the champs. First, Stephanie McMahon and Joe Tessitore are getting us ready. Then they kick it to Wade Barret and Michael Cole before the challengers come out. Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid are out first, with Brie Bella out next, followed by her tag team partner. I smell a title change here. Fatal Influence have made Smackdown a lot of fun. They're not very nice, but they darn sure are entertaining. They just seem like mean girls, and who better to dethrone the champs than mean girls? We are off and Reid is pounding away on Paige until she makes the tag and they hit a double codebreaker on Reid. Henley is in now and she's finding little success too until she nails a huge forearm on Bella. But Bella fights back and tags in Paige. Paige is now in trouble as Fatal Influence is doubleteaming her and she's taking a lot of abuse. The bad girls work well together. Paige has to get out of the corner, but she's stuck. She tries to tag out, but has no luck. Fatal Influence is doing a good job of keeping her in the corner. As I said that she starts to fight back and tags Bella who is a house of fire. She hits a few clothesline and hits a side Russian legsweep. Then she does the Yes kicks. Hits knee lifts on both her foes then a dropkick from the top on Henley, but only gets two. Paige was going to work on Henley, but Jacy Jayne gets involved and she gets knocked down. Paige throws out Henley and how she's battlign it out with Reid Fatal Influence has the edge.Paige went for a rollup on Reid, but Jayne pulled her back, putting Reid on top and we have new tag team champions.Sami Zayn unhappySami Zayn isn't happy that Cody Rhodes and CM Punk got handed SummerSlam main event matches and he didn't. Gunther joins the interview and tells Zayn not to mess up SummerSlam for him. Poor guy. They then cut to stars like Trick Williams and O'Shea Jackson, who are in the crowd. Fatal Influence beat Paige and Brie BellaThey cheated, but they got the win. We have new tag team champions. Decent match.Fatal Influence vs. Paige and Brie Bella gradeNot a bad match. Not a great one either. New champs and that's exciting. Grade: 83 out of 100. Live from Madison Square GardenI've been to the Spectrum. I've seen WWE at whatever the Xfinity Mobile Arena has been called over the years. I saw WWE at MetLIfe and Lincoln Financial Field and I probably watched most of my WWE wrestling at the Wildwood Convention Hall. But I've never been to MSG. Wrestling always feels bigger there. The first match I ever remember watching, Hulk Hogan and Iron Shiek, was at the Garden. Lets hope tonight is a memorable and fun card. It should be.Peacock is better than ESPN UnlimitedI miss watching wrestling on Peacock. I never get booted off Peacock. ESPN Unlimited, at least on Comcast, it never goes to commercials without freezing. And believe me, there are a lot of commercials on ESPN Unlimited. This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: WWE Saturday Night's Main Event results: NBA stars play big role

Led by captain Rodri, La Roja can become the statistically greatest defensive team in World Cup history with one final shutout against Argentina

Historically, third place games have typically been high scoring, wide open, and free-flowing, but England and France took that to another level on Saturday at Miami Stadium. England defeated France 6-4 to claim bronze at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It was the best finish the Three Lions have had in the tournament since 1966 when they won at home. But the game itself was extraordinary. England was brilliant in the first half and jumped out to a 4-0 lead. Embarrassed, French manager Didier Deschamps made a wave of substitutions at halftime. Those who worked in for France mounted a ferocious comeback attempt led by Kylian Mbapp and Michael Olise. France's comeback attempt fell just short, but not before Olise and Mbapp put their names in the record books for two of the best individual performances ever at the World Cup. Here are my takeaways, one for every England goal: 1. England's High Flying Circus Surely disappointed after collapsing late in its 2-1 loss to Argentina in the semifinals, England played with a real purpose to leave this tournament on a high note. Right away, England was ruthless in taking advantage of sloppy French mistakes. In just the third minute, it was Declan Rice who took advantage of a turnover in the midfield and scored a beautiful goal to set the tone. England was all over France from the opening whistle in terms of being aggressive, getting numbers into the attack, and finishing its chances. After Rices goal, it was Ezri Konsa who headed home a corner delivered by Rice. Then it was Bukayo Saka who scored two more goals for England before halftime. Saka likely was playing with a chip on his shoulder and was heavily motivated by the fact he did not get off the bench in the loss to Argentina. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Dean Henderson earned the start after backing up Jordan Pickford throughout this tournament. The Crystal Palace shot stopper made several important saves to keep France at bay and allow England to build its lead. The first half was beautiful from England and the intensity gap between the teams was as wide as the Atlantic Ocean. But it would not last. Instead of setting the stage for an easy third place win, it only set the stage for a collapse. 2. Three Lions Saka, Bellingham, Henderson Stood Out The best players for England in this game were Saka and Henderson who were solid over the course of 90 minutes, not just the first half. Unsurprisingly, both players likely had more energy after not playing in the semifinal. But they were also likely motivated to leave a positive mark on this tournament, and prove they belong on the field in the future. Saka completed the hat trick in the second half when he was allowed to take a penalty in the 87th minute to slow Frances comeback and become just the fourth English player to notch a World Cup hat trick after Geoff Hurst against West Germany in the 1966 final, Gary Lineker vs. Poland in 1986, and Harry Kane did so while facing Panama in 2018. Then there was Jude Bellingham, who only came into the game in the 79th minute but who gave England enough quality to come across the winners. His dribbling down the stretch was phenomenal, and he capped the scoring to finish the tournament with seven goals. Bellinghams World Cup was one of the greatest performance an English player ever had in a major international tournament. Finally, it is not often when a goalkeeper stands out after conceding four goals, but Henderson did just that. He made five saves in this game, including three very difficult ones that prevented France from having a strong start and limited its comeback attempt. 3. Bad Start For Les Bleus For any French fan, that first half was tough to watch. Even if the team was disappointed to have to settle for a third-place game, Les Bleus still needed to show up and be proud. Any team that is in the third-place game of a World Cup is still among the best teams in the world and needs to be respectful of the situation. France was not. Where this was most apparent for France in the first half was the teams lack of desire to track back and defend once England came into possession. Every time England had the ball in France's half, it looked like it was going to score. France's attacking players always remained up the field in attacking positions, they completely ignored their defensive responsibility especially in the first half. In Englands opening goal, Dsir Dou was sloppy and gave the ball away. Rice then collected the ball and moved 40 to 50 yards without ever having any pressure on him from any French player. It was an ugly omen for France about how the rest of the game was going to go. The first half was almost an insult to French manager Didier Deschamps who was in his last game in charge of France. He is set to step aside after this tournament. But his tenure in charge of the team has been terrific. He took over in 2012 after a period of disappointment where Les Bleus did not get out of the group at the 2010 World Cup and were bounced from Euro 2012 in the quarterfinals. Over the next 14 years, Deschamps built France into champions. And Les Beus are consistently a favorite in every tournament, winning the World Cup in 2018. 4. A Furious French Comeback Falters Deschamps was clearly furious with the first half, and he made four substitutions to start the second half. Among those that came into the game were veterans Ousmane Dembl, Lucas Digne and Dayot Upamecano, who clearly understood that the task was to save Les Bleus from embarrassment. The second half was an inspired performance from the French team as it clearly began playing up to its potential. As bad as France was in the first half, they were almost as good in the second half. The changes were very influential in getting Michael Olise and Kylian Mbapp involved in the game after both were unable to make an impact in the first half. The extraordinary final 45 minutes was very wide open and free flowing. Unfortunately for England, those situations favored a French team loaded with some of the best attacking talent in the world. France very much looked as if they were going to find an equalizer, but Malo Gusto brought down Djed Spence in the box and was whistled for a penalty. And then, it was Bellingham who helped give England the quality to finish. As much fun as this game was, Frances fans and players will want to forget this game as the first half was inexcusable, and an even mediocre performance would not have required such a massive comeback attempt. 5. Mbapp And Olise Set Records One of the most important developments from this game is that Mbapp is now the Golden Boot leader with ten goals at this tournament. He also has four assists in this tournament to have one of the most productive World Cups ever on record. Mbapp now has the all-time World Cup scoring record of 21 goals in his career. For a player who is still only 27 years old, that is extraordinary and that total is likely going to increase in 2030 and beyond. Of course for Mbapp, Messi has one more game to play. Olise did not score at this World Cup for France despite having over 20 shots. But he had two assists in this game to finish the tournament with seven. That is the most assists ever on record for a single World Cup. 6. It Could Still Come Home, Again In 2028 (At The Euros) For England, the pressure is mounting to be in a position to win a major tournament. To date, it has only won the World Cup once, which came in 1966 when it hosted the tournament. The Three Lions have never won a European Championship. In two years, England will be one of the co-hosts of the 2028 Euros along with Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. The pressure for England to be in the final at Wembley in two years is enormous. Following the loss to Argentina, this game against France was billed not as the conclusion to this tournament but as the beginning of its campaign leading to 2028, where England has realistic hopes to be one of the best teams at the tournament. Beating France in a game where Harry Kane did not even play is an encouraging start. England will be an extremely difficult team to beat in two years.

Spain vs Argentina Match preview and team newsThe reigning Copa America champions and the defending World Champions, Argentina, face the reigning European Champions, Spain, in the Final match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Sunday at the New York-New Jersey Stadium.Spain vs Argentina Match preview and team newsDate: Sunday, 19th JulyKick-off: 8pm BSTVenue: New York New Jersey Stadium, East Rutherford, USASpain team newsSpain enters the 2026 World Cup final with a nearly spotless bill of health, easing initial concerns over key players.Lamine Yamal handed the camp a brief scare after training separately with strapping on his left thigh following a physical semi-final battle against France.However, manager Luis de la Fuente confirmed this was merely precautionary workload management, ensuring the winger is fully fit to start.Similarly, fullback Pedro Porro has been cleared to play after overcoming minor hamstring fatigue that limited his early-week training sessions.With no suspensions disrupting the squad, Spain will deploy their preferred tactical blueprint.Rodri and Fabin Ruiz are set to anchor the midfield, providing defensive stability and tempo control.This structure allows Dani Olmo to operate freely in the attacking pockets, supporting a dynamic frontline expected to feature Alex Baena and focal point Mikel Oyarzabal.Argentina team newsArgentina boasts a completely fit and available roster for the 2026 World Cup Final as Lionel Scaloni seeks back-to-back World Cup titles.The most notable squad update involves goalkeeper Emiliano Martnez, who recently revealed he has been playing through the tournament with a broken finger.He has delayed surgery until after the final and will start in goal. Defensively, centre-back Cristian Romero has shaken off the severe muscle cramps that plagued him in earlier knockout rounds to partner Lisandro Martnez.In midfield, the established trio of Leandro Paredes, Enzo Fernndez, and Alexis Mac Allister will provide the foundational grit.The spotlight remains firmly on the frontline, where a 39-year-old Lionel Messi prepares for his final international act.Operating alongside Julin lvarez, Messi enters the match in sublime form, currently in the tournaments Golden Boot race with an impressive eight goals and four assists.Giuliano Simeone might drop to the bench while Rodrigo De Paul or Nicolas Gonzalez is expected to replace him in the starting XI.FormSpainSpain enters the showpiece match in majestic, record-breaking form, riding an incredible 37-match unbeaten streak. Their tactical mastery has been on full display throughout this World Cup, outclassing world-class opponents at every turn. After securing a commanding 2-0 victory over France in the semi-finals, La Roja have remarkably never trailed at any point in the entire tournament. Boasting Europes most disciplined defence, they have conceded only a single goal across their seven tournament fixtures.ArgentinaArgentina has been an absolute juggernaut, matching a historic feat by winning all seven of their matches to reach the final. They come to this match after coming back from behind against England and winning the semifinal match 2-1.Driven by pure determination, the defending champions have unleashed a ruthless attacking masterclass, netting an incredible 19 tournament goalsthe highest tally seen at a World Cup. Scoring at least two goals in 13 consecutive games, the Albiceleste booked their final spot after a dominant, tactical display in the semi-finals.Predicted lineupsSpain: Simn; Porro, Cubars, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Ruiz; Yamal, Olmo, Baena; OyarzabalArgentina: E. Martnez; Montiel, Romero, L. Martnez, Tagliafico; De Paul, Paredes, Fernndez, Mac Allister; Messi, lvarezHow to watch Spain vs Argentina?You can watch the Spain vs. Argentina World Cup final free-to-air on both the BBC and ITV in the UK.Read Also England player ratings vs France: Saka steals the show as Three Lions finish thirdSee More The night Diego Maradona threatened to have Oasis shotFollow the Football Faithful on Social Media:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

SportsLine's soccer experts have revealed their World Cup picks and World Cup predictions for France vs. England in the third-place match on Saturday

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more aboutSports Betting on FOX Sports. The 2026 FIFA World Cup couldn't wrap up in a better way. The top teams in FIFA's ranking battle for the trophy on Sunday. Spain and Argentina meet in a dream final: Euro champions, Copa Amrica champions, legend vs. rising superstar. DraftKings has everything you're looking for before the biggest match of the summer. Argentina is the No. 1 team ranked by FIFA and looking to defend its World Cup crown. No. 2 Spain, the reigning UEFA Euro 2024 champion, has other plans. Argentina could become the first nation since Brazil in 1958 and 1962 to win back-to-back World Cup titlesand just the third team ever to accomplish the feat. Spain, meanwhile, is seeking its second World Cup championship after its historic 2010 triumph, entering the final on a six-match winning streak after eliminating Portugal, Belgium, and France in the knockout stages. DraftKings offers a variety of betting markets for the World Cup final. Whether you're backing Lionel Messi to cap his final World Cup with another title or Lamine Yamal to help Spain lift its second World Cup trophy, be sure to compare the latest World Cup final odds and DraftKings promos before kickoff. Check out how to claim the new user promo for DraftKings and win $200 instantly. Claim the New User Offer No Promo Code Needed 2026 World Cup Winner Odds TO WIN Spain: -150 (bet $10 to win $16.67 total)Argentina: +130 (bet $10 to win $23 total) MONEYLINE (90 MINS) Spain: +25 (bet $10 to win $22.50 total)Draw: +200 (bet $10 to win $30 total)Argentina: +255 (bet $10 to win $35.50 total) Anytime Goalscorer Props How Will The Final Finish? Spain vs. Argentina: How To Watch

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) Athletics pitcher J.T. Ginn has not allowed a hit through six innings against the Washington Nationals on Saturday night.Ginn has retired 18 of the 21 batters hes faced. Washingtons only baseruners came on a pair of two-out walks in the second and a two-out walk in the fifth. Ginn has seven strikeouts and has thrown 77 pitches, 47 for strikes.The closest the Nationals have come to a hit was in the fifth when Dylan Crews appeared to beat out an infield single to third baseman Joshua Kuroda-Grauer. After Crews was initially ruled safe, the As challenged and the call was overturned following a replay review for the final out of the inning.Kuroda-Grauer also made a diving catch in the outfield on CJ Abrams' popup in the fourth.Ginn, who had a 3.67 ERA going into the game, has never thrown a complete game during his three-year major league career. The As, who have lost 10 straight, lead 6-0.Mike Fiers had the last no-hitter for the As against the Cincinnati Reds in 2019 when the team was still in Oakland.Four Houston Astros pitchers combined to no-hit the Texas Rangers on May 25, the only no-hitter in the majors this season.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

SportsLine's model simulated the final round of the British Open 2026 10,000 times and revealed surprising golf picks for Royal Birkdale

On the eve of the World Cup final against Spain, Argentina captain Lionel Messi shared a message with his teammates, coaching staff, and supporters. On his official Instagram account, Messi reflected on his years with the national team and the bond formed within the squad leading up to Sunday's championship match. "The most beautiful thing about all these years was never just the titles, but the entire journey," Messi wrote. "Sharing day-to-day life with this group, competing together, picking ourselves up in the difficult moments, and enjoying every step." The post expressed gratitude to the individuals behind the team's operations, highlighting the collective effort required to maintain their standard on the international stage. Messi credited the squad's unity as a primary factor in their sustained success. "Thanks to each one of my teammates, to the coaching staff, and to all the great people who work every day to keep this National Team as a family," Messi said. As Argentina prepares to face a Spain side that has only conceded one goal during the tournament, Messi looked past the immediate result of the final. "Whatever happens tomorrow, this group has already written a story that we will never forget and that no one will be able to erase," Messi wrote. Messi concluded his message with the phrase, "Vamos, Argentina."

Jalen Brunson weighs the pros and cons of the second apron with the New York Knicks originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Winning the 2026 NBA Finals was a massive achievement for the New York Knicks. However, like most teams over the past few seasons, they had to part ways with a key player on the roster, as they had to let Mitchell Robinson sign with the Boston Celtics in the offseason.That is the norm under the NBA's second apron rules, which are likely one of the biggest reasons why there has not been a back-to-back champion since the 2018 NBA Finals. Brunson himself has had thoughts on what has happened with his team due to the second apron.Jalen Brunson gives his take on the second apron for the KnicksBrunson has one of the league's most team-friendly contracts because he left around $100,000,000 on the table. This helped the Knicks have financial flexibility under the second apron rules to build a team that can compete with almost anyone in the league.It worked out for both Brunson and the Knicks because their gamble paid off in 2026. They had the roster with players who are being paid well, like Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby. Incidentally, those are the two players with the biggest impact outside of Brunson during their NBA Finals series against the San Antonio Spurs.MORE:Jalen Brunson did not want to give the pitch to LeBron JamesNow that Brunson and the Knicks are champions, Brunson has given his take on the second apron and how that affects the team previously, today, and in the long-term future."I think there are pros and cons to it. Because of the second apron, we had to lose Mitch. Obviously, I would've loved to have him back, he was a big part of what we've been able to do. Everyone prior to the second apron, prior to the previous eight teams being champions, we had too many superteams," Brunson said on Nightcap with Shannon Sharpe."People called it the participation trophy. What are we doing? You guys want competition, or you guys don't want superteams, what is it? There are pros and cons to it. For me, I just navigate the best I can, control what I can control."While the NBA will continue to have this rule in place, there are probably some discussions with the NBA Players Association and the league. It will be a point of contention for sure, but it will be interesting how they pivot away from it after years of it being set in stone.More NBA news:How the Knicks' offer sheet for Moussa Cisse works and what the Mavericks need to do to match itTaking a pay cut with the Knicks was not a big problem for Jalen BrunsonKarl-Anthony Towns takes a funny jab at Kenny Atkinson's analytics comments from the Eastern Conference FinalsJalen Brunson is glad that the Knicks give him the freedom to operate as himselfTyler Nickel could have a spot on the defending champions in the 2026-27 season