EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Lionel Messi and Argentina on one side. Lamine Yamal and Spain on the other.
The World Cup final is finally here.
Kickoff is at 3 p.m. EDT at MetLife Stadium. Argentina is seeking its fourth title, Spain its second — and could become the first nation to simultaneously hold the World Cup crowns in both men’s and women’s soccer.
It’s the 104th match of the biggest World Cup ever, a 48-team event that played out over the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Because there were more matches than any previous World Cup, it was no surprise that there were more goals than all other editions — 307 and counting entering Sunday.
If Argentina and Spain combine for at least two goals in the final, this World Cup will also have the highest average number of goals per game since the 1956 event saw 3.6 per contest. (If the teams score fewer than two Sunday, it’ll still be the highest average per game since 1970’s World Cup saw 2.97 goals per game.)
The spectacle will not be limited to simply soccer.
Post Malone will headline the closing ceremony, which starts 90 minutes before the final. The halftime show — a first for FIFA — has Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira and BTS as fellow headliners, along with Burna Boy, Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel, the PS 22 Chorus featuring Coldplay, and even characters from Sesame Street and the Muppets.
President Donald Trump is expected to attend as well, with plans calling for him to be part of the trophy presentation at the conclusion of the match.
Argentina is wearing its light blue and white vertically striped jerseys for the match, while Spain is wearing predominantly red with navy sleeves. The officiating crew is from Slovenia — Slavko Vinčić is the referee, with Tomaž Klančnik and Andraž Kovačič his assistant referees.
___
Reader Comments