The Argentine national football team returns to face its Spanish counterpart on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey in the 2026 World Cup final, after a heavy 1-6 loss eight years ago. It is the second official meeting between the two, and the 15th overall since December 1952. Argentina plans to retain the title after its third crown in Qatar 2022 at the expense of France, while Spain hopes to lift the trophy for the second time after 2010 in South Africa against the Netherlands. Argentina took a tough path to its 104th World Cup match. Despite topping its group with three wins, the road became more difficult in the knockout stages, needing extra time to settle a thrilling encounter against Cape Verde, winning 3-2. In the round of 16, the match was more dramatic, as Egypt took a 2-0 lead until the 79th minute before Argentina turned the tables and achieved a historic comeback, ending the match 3-2. In the quarterfinals, they faced an even contest against Switzerland and also needed extra time to clinch a 3-1 victory. The excitement did not stop in the semifinals against England, who took a 1-0 lead until the 85th minute before Argentina turned the score around with two goals. As for Spain, they topped their group and passed the round of 32 with a 3-0 clean sheet against Austria, but needed late goals in the next two rounds to overcome Portugal, then repeated the feat in the quarterfinals with a 2-1 win over Belgium, a match in which they conceded their only goal of the tournament so far. Finally, they reached the final after defeating the strong favorites France 2-0. The 14 direct encounters between the two teams show clear parity, with each winning six times and drawing twice. Spain scored 19 goals against 18 for Argentina, with goals scored in every match. However, only one of those encounters was official, occurring at the 1966 World Cup in England when Argentina won 2-1 at Villa Park in Birmingham on July 13, in Group 2 which also included West Germany and Switzerland. Argentine striker Luis Artime was the star of the match, scoring both goals, while midfielder Pirri scored Spain's only goal. The first meeting between the two teams took place at the Chamartín Stadium in the Spanish capital Madrid on December 7, 1952, with Argentina winning 1-0. Argentina then won two consecutive matches (1-0 and 2-0) before Spain recorded its first victory eight years later, on June 11, 1961, with two clean-sheet goals at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium in Seville. Argentina's biggest win was 4-1 on September 7, 2010, at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, which was Spain's first match after winning the 2010 World Cup. Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuaín, Carlos Tevez, and Sergio Agüero scored for Argentina, while Fernando Llorente scored Spain's goal. Spain's biggest win came in the most recent meeting between the two, on March 27, 2018, at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, a match missed by Argentine Lionel Messi due to a muscle injury. Isco shone in that match with a hat-trick, while Diego Costa, Thiago Alcántara, and Iago Aspas scored the other goals. Defender Nicolás Otamendi scored Argentina's only goal. As champions of their respective continents, the two teams were scheduled to meet last February in the Finalissima in Qatar, but the match was cancelled.