Argentina reached the final in dramatic fashion by defeating England 2-1 after producing another late comeback. Their route to Sunday’s final has included victories over Algeria, Austria, Jordan, Cape Verde, Egypt, Switzerland, and England, producing 15 goals while conceding six across seven tournament matches. While their attacking output has exceeded Spain's, Argentina have conceded in each of their last five World Cup fixtures, presenting a different profile built on resilience and firepower rather than defensive control. Their wider record also remains strong, with four wins and two draws from their last six matches in all competitions, averaging two goals scored and one conceded while remaining unbeaten in 35 of their previous 40 matches. The last time both sides clashed in the World Cup dates back to FIFA’s 1966 World Cup in England, where the Albiceleste ran out 2–1 winners. Exactly six decades later, Scaloni’s side are hoping for a repeat victory in the quest to retain the world's most prestigious football title. Another subplot is the race for the Golden Boot, with Messi and Mbappe both locked on 8 goals each ahead of Saturday’s third-place match between France and England. A 4—4—2 formation with Julián Alvarez and Lionel Messi in attack is expected against Spain. Meanwhile, Lautaro Martínez is once again expected to make an appearance off the bench despite handing Argentina the winner against England.