Spain prepare for World Cup final as storm hits training and Merino talks impact

Spain face Argentina Sunday night at MetLife

Your team is one win away. Spain meet Argentina in the 2026 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium on Sunday night (1). The entire nation watched the semi-final win over France from the Zarzuela Palace, including the Royal Family. De la Fuente's squad arrives in New York having knocked France out of four straight major tournaments.

Merino: "I believe I can make an impact"

Mikel Merino has been Spain's weapon off the bench all tournament. The midfielder did not mince words about his mentality: "I have incredible confidence in myself and my abilities, and every time I step onto the pitch, I believe I can make an impact for the team" (2).

Storm warning hits training

Spain's final preparations hit a snag on Saturday. A storm warning forced the squad inside, with shouts of "Everyone take cover!" ringing out at the training ground (5). Sessions were delayed, but nothing suggests it derails the plan for Sunday.

Latin America leans toward Spain

You might have unexpected backing in the final. A section of Latin American fans are throwing their support behind Spain, citing racism from a minority of Argentina supporters and long-standing regional rivalries (4). Brazilian journalist Julia Duailibi put it plainly: "The racist scenes involving a minority of the fans, and the silence of the majority on the pitch, turned my stomach" (4).

Transfermarkt splits the squads

Ahead of the final, Transfermarkt compared the market values of both squads, and Spain come out on top (3). The numbers underline what performances have already shown: this is a team of depth, not just a collection of stars.

Infantino calls it a blessing

FIFA president Gianni Infantino weighed in before Sunday's showdown: "Esta final es una bendición", this final is a blessing (7).

Fan-reaktioner

Fans online are already sharpening the knives for the Messi question. After De la Fuente recalled a Sevilla-Barcelona match where man-marking Messi kept things scoreless for 70 minutes before he scored four in 15 minutes, the clip is circulating heavily on Reddit. One user posted the full exchange, and the mood in the comments is equal parts nervous and amused, nobody has an answer for Messi, even now. Full thread here.

Meanwhile, a second thread is gaining traction with an odd stat: Cape Verde are the only team Spain did not beat in normal time at this World Cup. The post is getting love for how absurd that looks on paper, given Spain and Argentina are now the last two standing. Discussion here.