3 min readJul 19, 2026 09:00 PM IST
Lionel Messi’s Argentina are on the hunt for a second successive FIFA World Cup title as they take on a rock-solid Spain in the final at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday night.
The Albiceleste have relied on a string of miraculous comeback wins through the knockout stages, beating Cape Verde (3-2), Egypt (3-2), Switzerland (3-1), and England (2-1) en route to their seventh final and a second in consecutive editions after lifting the title in Qatar in 2022, beating France on penalties.
ALSO READ | FIFA World Cup: Every plan to stop Messi has failed. Spain has one more shot
Messi’s Argentina are aiming to be the first team in 64 years to defend the title since Brazil clinched their first two World Cup wins in 1958 and 1962.
The Albiceleste won their first title on home soil in 1978, beating the Netherlands 3-1 in the final in Buenos Aires. A Diego Maradona-inspired unit then lifted the crown once again eight years later in 1986 before Messi ended a 28-year wait in 2022.
Meanwhile, Spain are featuring in only their second World Cup final since lifting the crown in their maiden appearance in 2010, pipping the Dutch 1-0 in Johannesburg.
FIFA World Cup Finals: Full list of winners and runners-up
| Year | Winners | Score | Runners-up | Venue | Location |
| 1930 | Uruguay | 4–2 | Argentina | Estadio Centenario | Montevideo, Uruguay |
| 1934 | Italy | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Czechoslovakia | Stadio Nazionale PNF | Rome, Italy |
| 1938 | Italy | 4–2 | Hungary | Stade Olympique de Colombes | Colombes, France |
| 1950 | Uruguay | 2–1 | Brazil | Maracanã Stadium | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| 1954 | West Germany | 3–2 | Hungary | Wankdorf Stadium | Bern, Switzerland |
| 1958 | Brazil | 5–2 | Sweden | Råsunda Stadium | Solna, Sweden |
| 1962 | Brazil | 3–1 | Czechoslovakia | Estadio Nacional | Santiago, Chile |
| 1966 | England | 4–2 (a.e.t.) | West Germany | Wembley Stadium | London, England |
| 1970 | Brazil | 4–1 | Italy | Estadio Azteca | Mexico City, Mexico |
| 1974 | West Germany | 2–1 | Netherlands | Olympiastadion | Munich, West Germany |
| 1978 | Argentina | 3–1 (a.e.t.) | Netherlands | Estadio Monumental | Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| 1982 | Italy | 3–1 | West Germany | Santiago Bernabéu | Madrid, Spain |
| 1986 | Argentina | 3–2 | West Germany | Estadio Azteca | Mexico City, Mexico |
| 1990 | West Germany | 1–0 | Argentina | Stadio Olimpico | Rome, Italy |
| 1994 | Brazil | 0–0 (a.e.t.) (3–2 pen.) |
Italy | Rose Bowl | Pasadena, California, United States |
| 1998 | France | 3–0 | Brazil | Stade de France | Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis, France |
| 2002 | Brazil | 2–0 | Germany | International Stadium | Yokohama, Japan |
| 2006 | Italy | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (5–3 pen.) |
France | Olympiastadion | Berlin, Germany |
| 2010 | Spain | 1–0 (a.e.t.) | Netherlands | Soccer City | Johannesburg, South Africa |
| 2014 | Germany | 1–0 (a.e.t.) | Argentina | Maracanã Stadium | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| 2018 | France | 4–2 | Croatia | Luzhniki Stadium | Moscow, Russia |
| 2022 | Argentina | 3–3 (a.e.t.) (4–2 pen.) |
France | Lusail Stadium | Lusail, Qatar |
| 2026 | MetLife Stadium | East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States |
Most FIFA World Cup titles won
5: Brazil (1958, ’62, ’70, ’94, 2002)
4: Germany (1954, ’74, ’90, 2014)
4: Italy (1934, ’38, ’82, 2006)
3: Argentina (1978, ’86, 2022)
