{"id":17552,"date":"2026-07-19T21:51:13","date_gmt":"2026-07-19T16:21:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/?p=17552"},"modified":"2026-07-19T21:51:13","modified_gmt":"2026-07-19T16:21:13","slug":"spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Spain vs Argentina \u2014 Final Team News, Predicted XIs and Manager Quotes | FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The eve of the FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Final. New York New Jersey Stadium, July 20, 12:30 AM IST. Both squads have trained, both managers have spoken, and now the wait is almost over. Here is everything you need to know before kick-off.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_73 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-black ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Page Contents:<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #282fff;color:#282fff\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #282fff;color:#282fff\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/#Spain_%E2%80%94_Team_News\" title=\"Spain \u2014 Team News\">Spain \u2014 Team News<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/#Spain_%E2%80%94_Predicted_XI_4-2-3-1\" title=\"Spain \u2014 Predicted XI (4-2-3-1)\">Spain \u2014 Predicted XI (4-2-3-1)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/#What_De_la_Fuente_Said\" title=\"What De la Fuente Said\">What De la Fuente Said<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/#Argentina_%E2%80%94_Team_News\" title=\"Argentina \u2014 Team News\">Argentina \u2014 Team News<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/#Argentina_%E2%80%94_Predicted_XI_4-4-2\" title=\"Argentina \u2014 Predicted XI (4-4-2)\">Argentina \u2014 Predicted XI (4-4-2)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/#What_Scaloni_Said\" title=\"What Scaloni Said\">What Scaloni Said<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/#One_Match_Left\" title=\"One Match Left\">One Match Left<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><i>Watch Spain vs Argentina live in India on ZEE 5 \u2014 the <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\"><i>FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122<\/i><\/a><i> Final, July 20, 12:30 AM IST.\u00a0 <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/myaccount\/subscription?plan-ref=0-11-7467&amp;asset-ref=0-6-4z5914493&amp;visibility=SELECTED&amp;context=FIFA\"><i>ZEE 5 FIFA Subscription<\/i><\/a><i> Quarterly Plan at \u20b9799 or the Annual Plan at \u20b91,699 and don&#8217;t miss a moment.<\/i><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Spain_%E2%80%94_Team_News\"><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\/0-6-4z5974253\/0-2-5z5974716\/teams\/spain\/spain-squad\"><b>Spain <\/b><\/a><b>\u2014 Team News<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Spain go into the Final with a full squad to choose from. No fresh injury concerns from the semi-final win over France, no suspensions, no late fitness doubts. Luis de la Fuente has the luxury of selecting the same eleven that have carried Spain this far \u2014 and every indication is that he will do exactly that.<\/p>\n<p>Pedri remains available and pushing for a starting role, though Fabi\u00e1n Ruiz&#8217;s semi-final performance makes it difficult to justify a change in the double pivot. Mikel Merino is the reliable option from the bench. On the wide left, Ferran Torres and \u00c1lex Baena are competing for the role, with Baena starting in recent matches.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Spain_%E2%80%94_Predicted_XI_4-2-3-1\"><\/span><b>Spain \u2014 Predicted XI (4-2-3-1)<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>GK: Unai Sim\u00f3n<\/p>\n<p>RB: Pedro Porro | CB: Pau Cubars\u00ed | CB: Aymeric Laporte | LB: Marc Cucurella<\/p>\n<p>DM: Rodri | DM: Fabi\u00e1n Ruiz<\/p>\n<p>RAM: Lamine Yamal | CAM: Dani Olmo | LAM: \u00c1lex Baena<\/p>\n<p>ST: Mikel Oyarzabal<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_De_la_Fuente_Said\"><\/span><b>What De la Fuente Said<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Luis de la Fuente has spent the last forty-eight hours doing what he always does before big matches \u2014 projecting calm. At Saturday&#8217;s pre-match press conference, he was measured, almost unhurried, as if the Final were simply the next step in a process rather than the culmination of everything. He spoke at length about Argentina&#8217;s quality, going out of his way to acknowledge the challenge. &#8220;We respect Argentina enormously,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p>What was more revealing was what he said about Spain. He did not speak about tactics in any specific sense \u2014 he rarely does publicly. Instead he returned, as he always does, to identity. The idea that this Spain team plays a particular way, holds to a particular set of principles, and that those principles do not change regardless of the opponent. &#8220;Our identity does not change because of who is on the other side,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We press, we move the ball, we create. That is who we are.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>It is a message that functions as both philosophy and instruction. Spain&#8217;s players do not need a new game plan for Argentina. They need to execute the one they already know \u2014 better than they have ever executed it.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Argentina_%E2%80%94_Team_News\"><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\/0-6-4z5974253\/0-2-5z5974716\/teams\/argentina\/argentina-squad\"><b>Argentina <\/b><\/a><b>\u2014 Team News<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Argentina also report no injury concerns. Messi trained fully on Saturday and is fit to start \u2014 there were no signs of fatigue after his semi-final against England, where he covered significant ground and registered two assists. Alexis Mac Allister and Rodrigo De Paul are both available and expected to feature.<\/p>\n<p>The main question for Scaloni is formation. Argentina used a 4-4-2 against England but have not been fixed to any single shape throughout this tournament. Against Spain\u2019s possession-heavy 4-2-3-1, they might continue with their 4-4-2 to increase their presence in midfield. Juli\u00e1n \u00c1lvarez is expected to lead the line; his pressing intensity and off-ball movement suit the high-pressure game Scaloni wants to play better than Lautaro Mart\u00ednez\u2019s more static profile.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Argentina_%E2%80%94_Predicted_XI_4-4-2\"><\/span><b>Argentina \u2014 Predicted XI (4-4-2)<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>GK: Emiliano Mart\u00ednez<\/p>\n<p>RB: Nahuel Molina | CB: Cristian Romero | CB: Lisandro Mart\u00ednez | LB: Nicol\u00e1s Tagliafico<\/p>\n<p>LM: Enzo Fern\u00e1ndez, LCM: Alexis Mac Allister, RCM: Leandro Paredes, RM: Giuliano Simeone<\/p>\n<p>ST: Juli\u00e1n \u00c1lvarez | ST: Lionel Messi<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Scaloni_Said\"><\/span><b>What Scaloni Said<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Lionel Scaloni is not a man who gives much away. He sat at the press conference table on Saturday with the same quiet intensity he brings to the touchline \u2014 attentive and precise. He spoke warmly about the squad, about what this group has been through together since 2022, about the bond that has formed across two World Cups. &#8220;The players understand the responsibility,&#8221; he said, &#8220;and they embrace it. That is what makes this group special.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>On Spain, he was respectful but not deferential. He acknowledged their quality in possession, described them as &#8220;a magnificent team,&#8221; and then almost immediately pivoted to what Argentina can do about it. He talked about pressing intelligently, about using spaces, about being patient when Spain have the ball. &#8220;It will be a very tactical match,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Spain want to control the ball. We have to be intelligent.&#8221; That last word \u2014 intelligent \u2014 came up more than once. It is clearly the lens through which he is approaching this game.<\/p>\n<p>The most pointed moment came when Messi was raised. Scaloni barely paused. &#8220;His condition is excellent,&#8221; he said. &#8220;He is ready.&#8221; Short sentences, total certainty. For a manager who chooses his words carefully, that was as close to a declaration of intent as you are going to get the night before a World Cup Final.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"One_Match_Left\"><\/span><b>One Match Left<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Two managers. Two philosophies. One trophy. Spain&#8217;s identity is built on process \u2014 the belief that if they do what they do well enough, results follow. Argentina&#8217;s is built on collective will and individual brilliance, with Messi as the point at which those two things meet. Ninety minutes, possibly more \u2014 at the New York New Jersey Stadium, and it all gets decided.<\/p>\n<p><i>Spain vs Argentina, FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Final \u2014 live on ZEE 5, July 20, 12:30 AM IST. Be there.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i>Disclaimer: Subscription pack prices are subject to change from time to time. Please visit the subscription page for the most up-to-date pricing information.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The eve of the FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Final. New York New Jersey Stadium, July 20, 12:30 AM IST. Both squads have trained, both managers have spoken, and now the wait is almost over. Here is everything you need to know before kick-off. &nbsp; Watch Spain vs Argentina live in India on ZEE 5 \u2014 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":17510,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ub_ctt_via":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3019],"tags":[3031,3598,3637],"class_list":["post-17552","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fifa-world-cup-2026","tag-fifa-world-cup-2026","tag-finals","tag-spain-vs-argentina-finals"],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1132x400-89.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Sourav K","author_link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/author\/sourav-k\/"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Spain vs Argentina \u2014 Final Team News, Predicted XIs and Manager Quotes | FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"FIFA 2026: Spain and Argentina meet in the FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Final with Messi, Yamal and history on the line.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Spain vs Argentina \u2014 Final Team News, Predicted XIs and Manager Quotes | FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"FIFA 2026: Spain and Argentina meet in the FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Final with Messi, Yamal and history on the line.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"ZEE5 Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ZEE5India\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-07-19T16:21:13+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1132x400-89.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1132\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Sourav K\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@ZEE5India\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ZEE5India\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Sourav K\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Sourav K\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/b7f51287e926eac1996d50ea278b7033\"},\"headline\":\"Spain vs Argentina \u2014 Final Team News, Predicted XIs and Manager Quotes | FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-19T16:21:13+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/\"},\"wordCount\":957,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1132x400-89.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"FIFA World cup 2026\",\"Finals\",\"Spain vs Argentina Finals\"],\"articleSection\":[\"FIFA World Cup 2026\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/\",\"name\":\"Spain vs Argentina \u2014 Final Team News, Predicted XIs and Manager Quotes | FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1132x400-89.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-19T16:21:13+00:00\",\"description\":\"FIFA 2026: Spain and Argentina meet in the FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Final with Messi, Yamal and history on the line.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1132x400-89.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1132x400-89.jpg\",\"width\":1132,\"height\":400,\"caption\":\"Spain vs Argentina\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"FIFA World Cup 2026\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/category\/fifa-world-cup-2026\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Spain vs Argentina \u2014 Final Team News, Predicted XIs and Manager Quotes | FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"ZEE5 Blog\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"ZEE5\",\"alternateName\":\"Zee Entertainment Enterprises\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Appicon_Z5Global_512x512.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Appicon_Z5Global_512x512.png\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"ZEE5\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ZEE5India\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/ZEE5India\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCXOgAl4w-FQero1ERbGHpXQ\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/b7f51287e926eac1996d50ea278b7033\",\"name\":\"Sourav K\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6e67504e85eace1cfa60dcd37f6d3ebfe062cd8f24a419171fff86280ffae669?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6e67504e85eace1cfa60dcd37f6d3ebfe062cd8f24a419171fff86280ffae669?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Sourav K\"},\"description\":\"With over 10 years of experience in sports journalism, Sourav is a passionate football writer who has been closely following the game since the 2002 FIFA World Cup. What began as a childhood fascination with football has evolved into a lifelong commitment to understanding and analysing the sport at every level. As both an ardent fan and a former football player, Sourav brings a unique perspective to his writing. He blends firsthand playing experience with in-depth statistical analysis. Having witnessed the rise and fall of footballing dynasties across multiple FIFA World Cups, UEFA Champions League campaigns, Premier League seasons, and international tournaments, he offers readers insightful, balanced, and engaging coverage of the beautiful game. His work is driven by a desire to make football analysis accessible to everyone, right from casual followers looking to stay informed to passionate supporters seeking deeper tactical insights.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/author\/sourav-k\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Spain vs Argentina \u2014 Final Team News, Predicted XIs and Manager Quotes | FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122","description":"FIFA 2026: Spain and Argentina meet in the FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Final with Messi, Yamal and history on the line.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Spain vs Argentina \u2014 Final Team News, Predicted XIs and Manager Quotes | FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122","og_description":"FIFA 2026: Spain and Argentina meet in the FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Final with Messi, Yamal and history on the line.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/","og_site_name":"ZEE5 Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ZEE5India\/","article_published_time":"2026-07-19T16:21:13+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1132,"height":400,"url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1132x400-89.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Sourav K","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@ZEE5India","twitter_site":"@ZEE5India","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Sourav K","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/"},"author":{"name":"Sourav K","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/b7f51287e926eac1996d50ea278b7033"},"headline":"Spain vs Argentina \u2014 Final Team News, Predicted XIs and Manager Quotes | FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122","datePublished":"2026-07-19T16:21:13+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/"},"wordCount":957,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1132x400-89.jpg","keywords":["FIFA World cup 2026","Finals","Spain vs Argentina Finals"],"articleSection":["FIFA World Cup 2026"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/","url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/","name":"Spain vs Argentina \u2014 Final Team News, Predicted XIs and Manager Quotes | FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1132x400-89.jpg","datePublished":"2026-07-19T16:21:13+00:00","description":"FIFA 2026: Spain and Argentina meet in the FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Final with Messi, Yamal and history on the line.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1132x400-89.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1132x400-89.jpg","width":1132,"height":400,"caption":"Spain vs Argentina"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-vs-argentina-final-team-news-predicted-xis-and-manager-quotes-fifa-world-cup-2026\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"FIFA World Cup 2026","item":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/category\/fifa-world-cup-2026\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Spain vs Argentina \u2014 Final Team News, Predicted XIs and Manager Quotes | FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/","name":"ZEE5 Blog","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#organization","name":"ZEE5","alternateName":"Zee Entertainment Enterprises","url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Appicon_Z5Global_512x512.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Appicon_Z5Global_512x512.png","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"ZEE5"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ZEE5India\/","https:\/\/x.com\/ZEE5India","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCXOgAl4w-FQero1ERbGHpXQ"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/b7f51287e926eac1996d50ea278b7033","name":"Sourav K","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6e67504e85eace1cfa60dcd37f6d3ebfe062cd8f24a419171fff86280ffae669?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6e67504e85eace1cfa60dcd37f6d3ebfe062cd8f24a419171fff86280ffae669?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Sourav K"},"description":"With over 10 years of experience in sports journalism, Sourav is a passionate football writer who has been closely following the game since the 2002 FIFA World Cup. What began as a childhood fascination with football has evolved into a lifelong commitment to understanding and analysing the sport at every level. As both an ardent fan and a former football player, Sourav brings a unique perspective to his writing. He blends firsthand playing experience with in-depth statistical analysis. Having witnessed the rise and fall of footballing dynasties across multiple FIFA World Cups, UEFA Champions League campaigns, Premier League seasons, and international tournaments, he offers readers insightful, balanced, and engaging coverage of the beautiful game. His work is driven by a desire to make football analysis accessible to everyone, right from casual followers looking to stay informed to passionate supporters seeking deeper tactical insights.","url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/author\/sourav-k\/"}]}},"blog_post_layout_featured_media_urls":{"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1132x400-89.jpg",150,53,false],"full":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1132x400-89.jpg",1132,400,false]},"categories_names":{"3019":{"name":"FIFA World Cup 2026","link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/category\/fifa-world-cup-2026\/"}},"tags_names":{"3031":{"name":"FIFA World cup 2026","link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/tag\/fifa-world-cup-2026\/"},"3598":{"name":"Finals","link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/tag\/finals\/"},"3637":{"name":"Spain vs Argentina Finals","link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/tag\/spain-vs-argentina-finals\/"}},"comments_number":"0","wpmagazine_modules_lite_featured_media_urls":{"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1132x400-89.jpg",150,53,false],"cvmm-medium":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1132x400-89.jpg",300,106,false],"cvmm-medium-plus":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1132x400-89.jpg",305,108,false],"cvmm-portrait":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1132x400-89.jpg",400,141,false],"cvmm-medium-square":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1132x400-89.jpg",600,212,false],"cvmm-large":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1132x400-89.jpg",1024,362,false],"cvmm-small":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1132x400-89.jpg",130,46,false],"full":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1132x400-89.jpg",1132,400,false]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17552","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17552"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17552\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17553,"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17552\/revisions\/17553"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17510"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17552"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17552"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17552"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}