Spain versus Argentina. The two best teams in the world, ranked No. 1 and No. 2. One has Lionel Messi chasing a second consecutive World Cup. The other has a 19-year-old named Lamine Yamal who was just three years old the last time Spain lifted the trophy. It's the final everyone wanted.
Here are the best FC 26-rated players set to take the pitch on Sunday, broken down by what they bring to the game and what they've done to get here.
Argentina's FC 26 Stars
Messi leads the tournament with 8 goals and 2 assists in the semifinal alone. But he's not carrying this team by himself.
| Player | POS | OVR | PAC | SHO | PAS | DRI | DEF | PHY | World Cup Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lionel Messi | RW | 86 | 78 | 85 | 85 | 90 | 33 | 64 | 8 goals, all-time WC top scorer (21 total). Both assists in the 2-1 semifinal win over England. |
| Lautaro Martínez | ST | 88 | 81 | 88 | 75 | 84 | 51 | 83 | 92nd-minute winner vs England. Insurance goal vs Switzerland. The man for big moments. |
| Julián Álvarez | ST | 87 | 85 | 87 | 81 | 87 | 57 | 79 | Stunner from outside the box vs Switzerland. Press-resistant, links Messi to the attack. |
| Alexis Mac Allister | CM | 87 | 66 | 82 | 85 | 85 | 78 | 76 | Midfield balance. 85 PAS and 78 DEF let Messi roam free. Slow but reads the game. |
| Paulo Dybala | CAM | 86 | 80 | 85 | 84 | 87 | 41 | 64 | Off the bench spark. 87 DRI, magic in tight spaces when Argentina needs something different. |
Spain's FC 26 Stars
Spain conceded exactly one goal all tournament. One. Their midfield has suffocated every opponent, and they beat France 2-0 in the semifinal without breaking a sweat.
| Player | POS | OVR | PAC | SHO | PAS | DRI | DEF | PHY | World Cup Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rodri | CDM | 90 | 65 | 80 | 86 | 84 | 86 | 85 | The backbone. 86 DEF, 86 PAS, 85 PHY. Hasn't been beaten in midfield all tournament. |
| Lamine Yamal | RM | 89 | 85 | 81 | 86 | 90 | 23 | 53 | Won the penalty that decided the semifinal. Turns 19. Every time he gets the ball, defenders panic. |
| Pedri | CM | 89 | 77 | 73 | 85 | 91 | 78 | 77 | 91 DRI, controls the tempo alongside Rodri. The ball just sticks to his feet under pressure. |
| Dani Olmo | CAM | 85 | 73 | 79 | 83 | 87 | 50 | 56 | Tiki Taka + Incisive Pass PlayStyles. The creative link between Spain's midfield and attack. |
| Fabián Ruiz | CM | 85 | 61 | 77 | 80 | 81 | 75 | 72 | Box-to-box workhorse. Arrives late, scores from nothing. Scored a winning goal earlier in the knockout rounds. |
The Key Matchups to Watch
Three battles will decide this final:
- Messi vs Rodri: Messi's 90 DRI against the best defensive midfielder in FC 26. If Rodri can't contain him between the lines, Argentina wins. If he can, Spain controls the game.
- Yamal vs Argentina's left side: 85 PAC and 90 DRI on the wing. Argentina's defense has been leaky all tournament, conceding in every knockout game. Yamal will test them.
- Lautaro vs Spain's defense: Spain has conceded one goal in seven matches. Lautaro has 88 SHO and keeps scoring late winners. Something has to give.
Spain is unbeaten in 37 matches. Argentina has scored in every game. One streak ends Sunday. The FC 26 stats say Spain has the better squad on paper, but Messi has been rewriting history all tournament, and the stats don't account for what he does when the lights are brightest.
If you're building an FC 26 Ultimate Team around World Cup talent, Rodri, Yamal, Messi, and Lautaro are the four cards that define this final.
