18.7.2026
In Sunday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup final Spain and Argentina meet with several tournament records and historic milestones potentially on the line.
Argentina could become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to retain the World Cup and claim a fourth title
Messi could become the oldest scorer in a World Cup final and only the second player after Brazil’s Cafu to appear in 3 championship games
Spain are on the brink of a new European unbeaten record and Lamine Yamal could join a small group of teenage World Cup champions
The 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina on Sunday could produce several tournament records and historic milestones, with both teams chasing places in football history.
Lionel Messi enters the match as the competition’s all-time leading scorer, while Lamine Yamal has the opportunity to cap his meteoric rise by becoming a world champion at the age of 19.
Spain are also on the verge of establishing a new European men’s international unbeaten record, while Argentina could become the first country in 64 years to retain the trophy.
Here are 10 records and historic milestones that could be broken, extended or achieved in Sunday’s final, which will kick off at the New York/New Jersey Stadium at 1900GMT:
First back-to-back champions since 1962
Argentina could become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend the World Cup.
Only Italy, in 1934 and 1938, and Brazil, in 1958 and 1962, have won consecutive editions.
Victory would make Argentina the third country to achieve the feat.
Argentina could claim fourth world title
Argentina have won the World Cup three times — in 1978, 1986, and 2022.
A victory over Spain would give them a fourth title and move them level with Italy and Germany.
Only five-time champions Brazil would remain ahead of them.
Spain could set new European unbeaten record
Spain enter the final having gone 37 matches without defeat, equaling the European men’s international record established by Italy between 2018 and 2021.
Avoiding defeat before a possible penalty shootout against Argentina would extend Spain’s sequence to 38 matches and establish a new European mark.
The Spanish run includes a penalty-shootout loss to Portugal in the 2025 UEFA Nations League final, which is officially recorded as a draw for statistical purposes.
Messi could become oldest World Cup final scorer
At 39 years and 25 days, Messi would become the oldest player to score in a World Cup final if he finds the net on Sunday.
The existing record belongs to Sweden’s Nils Liedholm, who was 35 years and 264 days old when he scored against Brazil in the 1958 final.
Brazil’s Pele remains the youngest final scorer after striking twice in the same match at the age of 17.
Messi could extend all-time scoring record
Messi is already the leading scorer in World Cup history with 21 goals.
Another goal would take him to 22 and further extend his advantage over France forward Kylian Mbappe, who has 19.
Messi could score in 10 consecutive World Cup matches
The Argentina captain has scored in nine successive World Cup matches, already the longest sequence in the tournament’s history.
A goal against Spain would extend that record to 10 consecutive games.
Messi could extend appearance and captaincy records
Messi has already made more World Cup appearances than any other player and holds the record for the most matches played as captain.
An appearance against Spain would further extend both records.
It would also make him only the second player after Brazil’s Cafu to appear in three World Cup finals, following Messi’s previous appearances against Germany in 2014 and France in 2022.
Yamal could become one of youngest champions
Yamal, who turned 19 during the tournament, would become the joint-fourth-youngest player to win the World Cup if Spain lift the trophy.
At 19 years and six days, he would be level with Brazil’s Coutinho, who was the same age when his country won the 1962 tournament.
Pele remains the youngest champion, having lifted the trophy with Brazil at 17 years and 249 days in 1958.
Argentina could extend longest national World Cup unbeaten run
Argentina entered the quarterfinals unbeaten in 11 consecutive World Cup matches, already the longest such run in the country’s history.
Victories over Switzerland and England extended the sequence to 13 games.
Avoiding defeat before a possible penalty shootout against Spain would take the run to 14.
Largest World Cup reaches record 104th match
The Spain-Argentina final will be the 104th and last match of the tournament.
No previous World Cup has staged more games.
The increase resulted from the expansion from 32 to 48 teams and the introduction of a Round of 32.
The final will therefore complete the biggest World Cup in history, involving 48 teams, three host countries and 16 host cities. Source AA
