Spain vs Argentina in Finalissima 2026 preview: All you need to know
The Finalissima, or the CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions if you're feeling fancy, is like a World Cup final's cooler cousin. It pits Europe's top team against South America's best in a one-off match to decide who rules the roost. Back in the day, it was called the Artemio Franchi Cup—France beat Uruguay in '85, and Argentina took down Denmark in '93. The competition got a reboot in 2022 when Argentina steamrolled Italy 3-0 at Wembley. Now, in 2026, Spain's stepping up to challenge Argentina's reign. It's a rare treat, and the stakes couldn't be higher. When and Where Will It Happen?
Mark your calendars for late March 2026—think March 26 to 31, during the international break. The exact date and venue are still under discussion, with logistical challenges complicating the decision. Potential host cities include: Mexico City : A hot contender since it ties into the 2026 World Cup vibe (Mexico's a co-host). But security checks are still pending.
London or Rome : Europe's pushing for a home game to make travel easier for players juggling club schedules.
New York : A neutral spot that's gaining buzz, especially with the U.S. hosting part of the World Cup.
Argentina: CONMEBOL's dreaming of El Monumental stadium, but getting Europe-based players to South America mid-season? Good luck.
UEFA, CONMEBOL, and the Spanish and Argentine football federations are hashing it out. Expect ticket and TV details once they nail down the spot. Wherever it happens, the atmosphere's gonna be electric. Meet the Teams Argentina: The Heavyweights
Argentina's on a roll. They've got the 2022 World Cup, the 2024 Copa América, and that 2022 Finalissima win over Italy in their trophy cabinet. Lionel Scaloni's squad is a machine—Lionel Messi's still weaving magic, Ángel Di María's got that veteran swagger, and Emiliano Martínez is a wall in goal. Add in young guns like Julián Álvarez, and you've got a team that's tough to crack. But with Messi hitting 38 by 2026, this might be his last shot at this stage. No pressure, Leo. Spain: The New Blood
Spain's back, baby! After years of ups and downs, Luis de la Fuente's crew lifted the Euro 2024 trophy with a 2-1 win over England. Their secret sauce? A blend of grit and youth. Lamine Yamal, the 17-year-old Barcelona wonderkid, stole hearts with his Euro 2024 heroics, becoming the youngest player to score and assist in the tournament. With players like Pedri and Álvaro Morata rounding out the squad, Spain's 18-match unbeaten streak makes them a real threat.
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Aman Shukla is a post-graduate in mass communication . A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication ,content writing and copy writing. Aman is currently working as journalist at BusinessUpturn.com
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2 hours ago
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Torrejón retired from international soccer after the 2019 World Cup as Spain's then most-capped player with 90 appearances. She has since helped Barcelona win three Champions League titles and a slew of other trophies. She also played a part in one of the revolts Spain's women have staged to demand more from the men who run the game. After the 2015 World Cup, Torrejón and other players successfully pushed for the removal of coach Ignacio Quereda, who had run the team for nearly three decades, for his poor preparation ahead of the team's first appearance in the competition. Quereda was later accused by former players of verbal abuse, an allegation he denied. 'I enjoyed playing for the national team, but the preparation and attention to the player was minimum. It felt, to put it bluntly, like a waste of time,' Torrejón said. 'The level of practice and the level of physical training both plummeted compared to what we had (at Barcelona). It was like taking a step back. 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Torrejón said she had heard from Alexia Putellas and Irene Paredes, stalwarts of Spain and Barcelona, that things are better since Rubiales and Vilda left. New coach Montse Tomé has enhanced the training methods. Spain leads the way at the Euros for goals scored, ball possession, passing accuracy and clean sheets. In Spain's 1-0 semifinal win over Germany, Aitana Bonmatí leaned on the team's analysts, who informed her the opposing goalkeeper tended to leave her near post unprotected. The result was an exquisite winner from a tight angle. Barcelona and other clubs have lifted Spain Spain midfielder Patri Guijarro agrees with Torrejón that the sustained investment Barcelona has provided for the past decade in the women's game has boosted the national team. 'Each and every day we work well in our clubs and I think that is reflected in the achievements of the clubs but also in the national team,' Guijarro said at Spain's camp in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Friday. Guijarro also credits the professionalization of Spain's women's league in 2021, which allowed players 'to dedicate ourselves fully to soccer.' Guijarro is one of 11 Barcelona players on Spain's 23-member squad. The Barcelona contingent includes Bonmatí and Putellas, who have split the last four Ballon d'Or awards between them. Former Barcelona official Xavier Vilajoana oversaw the women's team and the club's training academy from 2015-2020. During that time, the club dramatically increased its funding for women's soccer and built a training program for girls. Vilajoana said one critical decision was having the same coaches train the boys' and girls' teams. That way the Barcelona style was instilled in all the kids, and that ball-possession, short-passing and pressure became fundamentals of the women's teams as well. 'Let's not fool ourselves, we spent many years in a very sexist society and that was reflected in women's soccer. So clearly the change in the mentality of society has helped," Vilajoana told the AP. "But I also believe the style of play Barca has helped see women players in the same way (as the men).' 'We had talent' In the background, Spain's strong feminist movement helped get the public behind the players. 'There were many of us players who gave it our all for the national team but weren't able to get this far," Torrejón said. "The one thing we knew is that we had talent. We just needed more support.' ___ AP sports writer Graham Dunbar contributed from Lausanne, Switzerland. ___ AP soccer: Joseph Wilson, The Associated Press
