Spain v Argentina live updates: Follow the action from World Cup final

World Cup final: Spain 0-0 Argentina, New York-New Jersey Stadium, 8pm Irish timeKick-off 8.06pm. If anyone is tuning in for an 8pm kick-off, sorry, FIFA decided Robbie Williams and Secret Service security checks were more important. Still, New Jersey is blue and white. Electric atmosphere. While football icon Tom Cruise is selling his latest flick, here’s the teams. Spain: Simon; Porro, Cubaris, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Ruiz; Yamal, Olmo, Baena; Oyarzabal.Argentina: E Martinez; Molina, Romero, L Martinez, Tagliafico; Enzo; De Paul, Mac Allister, Gonzalez; Messi, Alvarez. Supporters of Argentina cheer in the stands ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 final match Spain against Argentina, in New Jersey, USA, 19 July 2026. This is tight. 7 minutes to kick-off and Robbie Williams is parading around in a tinsel-blue tracksuit. Argentina fans cheer during a watch party at Rockefeller Center ahead of the 2026 World Cup Final between Spain and Argentina in New York on July 19, 2026. (Photo by Ryan MURPHY / AFP via Getty Images) The Argentinians are the best fans I’ve experienced on my travels (honourable mentions for Brazilians and Moroccans). Heating up around New Jersey for a 3pm kick-off (8pm Ireland). BBC showing a list of Messi achievements at World Cups: he is second on 21 goals behind Mbappé (after two strikes last night v England) but 1st on assists, chances created, shots, shots on target, expected goals (19.6), expected assists, passes played into box, successful crosses, ball carry distance and dribbles completed. Argentina's Lionel Messi warms up ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 final at the New York-New Jersey Stadium. Picture date: Sunday July 19, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Bradley Collyer/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only, no commercial use without prior consent from rights holder. Ken Early: “And so to win this ultimate victory, Messi must overcome what amounts to the living ghost of his old Barcelona team, complete with his own reincarnation and heir.”Lamine Yamal of Spain before the FIFA World Cup 2026 final match Spain against Argentina, in New Jersey, USA, 19 July 2026. Reports of delays at MetLife as stadium employees and volunteers are forced to queue for hours. Never mind the ticket holders who are facing technical glitches. Teams are in... Spain unchanged: Simon; Porro, Cubaris, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Ruiz; Yamal, Olmo, Baena; Oyarzabal.Argentina replace Giuliano Simeone and Leandro Paredes with Rodrigo De Paul and Nico Gonzalez:Martinez; Molina, Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Tagliafico; Enzo; De Paul, Mac Allister, Gonzalez; Messi, Alvarez.Referee: Slavko Vincic (Slovenia)Oh no. Rob Harris, reporting live from the MetLife Stadium for Sky News, is suggesting that the 8pm kick-off could be delayed. World Cup final delays already. Closing ceremony was due to start now 90 minutes before kickoff but hasn’t started.Secret service at entrances on security due to Donald Trump being due here— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) July 19, 2026 Argentina - route to the final:Group J Algeria 3-0, Austria 2-0, Jordan 3-1.Last 32 Cape Verde 3-2 (AET).Last 16 Egypt 3-2.Quarter-final Switzerland 3-1 (AET).Semi-final England 2-1.Spain - route to the final:Group H Cape Verde 0-0, Saudi Arabia 4-0, Uruguay 1-0.Last 32 Austria 3-0.Last 16 Portugal 1-0.Quarter-final Belgium 2-1.Semi-final France 2-0.Golden Boot race: After Kylian Mbappé’s brace against England in last night’s third-place play-off brought the France captain’s World Cup tally to 10 goals, Lionel Messi needs a hat-trick against Spain to win the golden boot.The single-tournament record belongs to French striker Just Fontaine who scored 13 at Sweden ‘58 (Messi is unlikely to score five goals tonight). The Irish Times view on the World Cup: “Despite the crass commercialisation, and political meddling, the finals retain the sense of magic that makes football the world’s most popular sport.”“If Argentina has carried the shade of Diego Maradona on its quixotic adventure through the United States this summer, then the elegant silhouette of Johan Cruyff lingers over Sunday’s World Cup final,” read Keith Duggan’s in an interesting piece on first World Cup final between Spain and Argentina even has a Thomas Tuchel cameo. Just other two hour before kick-off, there is still time to hear Ken Early in conversation with Paul Howard on the America 2026 podcast.