00:13Welcome to Beyond the Game, the ball is pure, the stage is set for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final,
00:18as Spain and Argentina prefer to meet in a dream match-up that many believe was destined to happen.
00:24The finalissima, that never took place in March, will instead be replaced by the biggest prize in football.
00:30Spain, the reigning European champions, and Argentina, the Copa America holders, will battle for the most coveted trophy in the
00:36sport in what promises to be a historic showdown.
00:39Ahead of this blockbuster final, it's impossible not to look back at the history between these two football giants.
00:45Led by Lionel Scaloni and Luis de la Fuente, Argentina and Spain have developed an intermittent rivalry filled with memorable
00:51encounters spanning more than seven decades.
00:53Their story began on December 7, 1952 in Madrid, when Argentina defeated Spain 1-0 thanks to a goal from
01:01Ricardo Infante, one of the country's most talented forwards of that era.
01:05The next landmark meeting came at the 1966 FIFA World Cup in England.
01:10Played in Birmingham, Argentina earned a memorable 2-1 victory over Spain in one of the most significant competitive matches
01:16between the two nations.
01:17Four decades later, in 2006, Lionel Messi made his first appearance against Spain in an international friendly.
01:24La Rocha claimed a 2-1 victory with goals from Xavi Hernandez and David Vila, while Daniel Vila scored Argentina's
01:30long goal.
01:31In 2010, just months after Spain lifted the World Cup in South Africa, the teams met again in Buenos Aires.
01:38Argentina produced a stunning performance, defeating the newly crowned world champions 4-1 with goals from Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain,
01:46Carlos Tevez, and Sergio Agüero.
01:48The most recent meeting came in 2018, when Spain handed Argentina a crushing 6-1 defeat at Madrid's Metropolitano Stadium
01:55in a World Cup warm-up friendly.
01:57Isco starred with a hat-trick in one of the heaviest losses Argentina has suffered in recent history.
02:01Now, another chapter is about to be written.
02:04With the World Cup trophy on the line, Spain and Argentina renew their rivalry on football's biggest stage, where only
02:09one nation will be crowned world champion.
02:13And with the World Cup title on the line, Spain's Michael Marino admits that overcoming Lionel Messi and Argentina will
02:20be the toughest challenge for La Rocha's tournament.
02:24Leo is one of the greatest of all time. You only have to look at the career he's had and
02:29how well he's still performing at 39.
02:32I don't know if this will be his last match for the national team or his last final.
02:37With players like that, as I said about Cristiano, it's very difficult to predict their future because they continue to
02:43perform at such a high level.
02:45But anyway, it's a massive challenge and an incredible source of motivation for me and for us.
02:52Being able to play against a team like Argentina, who have won this before, makes the match even more important.
02:59And that's it. I'm just really happy to be able to experience these moments.
03:03I think it's going to be an intense match, just as it should be. It's a final.
03:07Both teams are playing for the biggest prize in football, winning the World Cup.
03:11And it's only natural that there'll be physical contact and intense battles.
03:16Because when everything's at stake, that's the way it has to be.
03:22And as the countdown to the World Cup final continues, excitement is building in Madrid where fans are dreaming of
03:28a Spanish triumph,
03:28but know they must first overcome defending champions Argentina.
03:35I really enjoyed the last one. It was a great match. How do I picture it?
03:40With a lot of tension, there's going to be a lot of tension between the two teams because they fear
03:43each other.
03:47Spain plays very well. You have to admit it, they have a great team and they're strong mentally, but Argentina
03:53is Argentina always.
03:56I don't know. There might be the same surprise there was with France. We completely shut down the French team.
04:02But with Argentina, I don't know what's going to happen. I fear the worst. I fear an Argentina win.
04:10The Copa America champion and the Euro champion for the first time, the best players on the planet on the
04:16same field,
04:17and hopefully it stays home and Spain lifts the cup.
04:23And Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic was appointed to officiate the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
04:29FIFA announced that Vincic will take charge of the tournament's biggest match when Spain and Argentina meet for the title
04:35on Sunday, July 19th.
04:37He will become the first Slovenian referee to officiate a World Cup final and will oversee his fourth match of
04:42the tournament.
04:43Vincic will be assisted by fellow Slovenians Tomas Klansnik and Andras Kovacic as first and second assistant referees.
04:51Jordans Arham Makhatmeh was named fourth official, while compatriot Mohamed Al-Khalaf will serve as a reserve address assistant referee.
05:07So first of all, shock. Then happiness. I was shaking. So it's a carnival honor to get the World Cup
05:17final.
05:17It's something that it's only a dream for a referee, for a young referee when it starts. So I'm very
05:26proud, very proud of myself, my team.
05:32And yes, I'm still like, you know, thoughts are too much. So refereeing is everything about the team work.
05:44So without them, without Tomas and Andras, this is not possible. So I'm really happy that I have them through
05:53all my career, through our career.
05:55We are really a good friends, good team and thanks to them.
06:05France and England meet this Saturday at Miami Stadium to battle for third place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup,
06:11with both sides looking to bounce back after heartbreaking semifinal defeats.
06:16Didier Deschamps, France, in what will be his final match in charge of LeBlues after 14 years at the helm,
06:22suffered a convincing 2-0 loss to a dominant Spanish side.
06:25Meanwhile, Tomas Tuchel England came within moments of reaching the final.
06:30Let's go back to you, Ale.
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