Who is the referee?
Slavko Vincic makes history as the first Slovene to referee a World Cup final. Previously, he officiated the 2024 Champions League final where Real Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-0 and Spain’s semi-final win over France (2-1) at the 2024 Euros. Notably, he oversaw Argentina’s opening match loss to Saudi Arabia in 2022 and has shown an average of 2.33 yellow cards per game during this tournament.

Advantage Spain?
Historically, 13 of the last 14 World Cup and European Championship finals were won by the team that played their semi-final first. With Spain enjoying an extra day’s rest, they aim to continue this trend.

Staying away
Javier Milei, the Argentinian president, continues a 36-year tradition of not attending World Cup matches, opting to watch from his residence instead. In contrast, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and King Felipe VI plan to attend the final.

History beckoning
An Argentina victory would mark their second consecutive World Cup win, a feat last achieved by Italy (1934, 1938) and Brazil (1958, 1962). Conversely, a win for Spain would place them among the elite teams holding both the Euros and World Cup titles simultaneously.

Attack vs. defence?
Argentina has scored the most goals (19), while Spain boasts the best defensive record, conceding only 1 goal.

Rings for the winners
Winners will receive championship rings, a tradition in the US since 1922, with designs featuring a mini World Cup trophy.

Cancelled Finalissima
The anticipated Finalissima match was cancelled due to political tensions in the Middle East, preventing both teams from playing this year.

Who needs club coaching experience?
Both managers, Luis de la Fuente and Lionel Scaloni, lack top-division club experience, yet have succeeded on the international stage.

Minutes on the pitch
With Spain finishing all matches in regulation, they may have a freshness advantage over Argentina, who have logged more playing time due to extra sessions.

Rare outdoor match for Spain
As the final approaches, New York faces air-quality concerns from wildfire smoke, a challenge Spain has avoided during the tournament.