East Rutherford: Messi says Argentina will ‘give it our all’ in World Cup final

By Liam Tremblay — 18 July 2026 — 3 min read

Messi’s Final Appearance Before World Cup Final

Lionel Messi made his final public appearance before Argentina faces Spain in the World Cup final, stating that his team will “give it our all.” The event, held at Fanatics Fest in New York on Friday, served as a preview news conference for the upcoming match in East Rutherford, New Jersey. This gathering allowed hundreds of attendees a glimpse of Messi in a setting not typically accessible to the public.

The event featured a lineup of sports legends, including Tom Brady, Novak Djokovic, and Kevin Durant, all of whom took a selfie with Messi. Spain captain Rodri commented on Messi’s significance, saying, “It goes beyond words what Messi means as a player and what he means for Argentina.” Rodri further added that, for him, Messi is “the greatest of all times.”

The format of the news conference deviated from tradition, with the celebrity athletes asking questions rather than media. Brady inquired about a viral photo of Messi with a young Lamine Yamal, now a Spain star. Djokovic questioned Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni and Messi about handling pressure, and later asked Spain coach Luis de la Fuente and Rodri about maintaining composure in significant moments. Durant spoke with Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez about the prospect of winning consecutive World Cups.

Argentina’s Path to the Final

Argentina, the defending champions, reached the final as the only undefeated and untied team remaining in the tournament, holding a 7-0-0 record. Spain, with a 6-0-1 record, drew its initial match against Cape Verde. The path to the final was challenging for Argentina, requiring multiple comebacks in the knockout rounds.

In the semifinals, Argentina overcame a 1-0 second-half deficit to defeat England. They also rallied from a 2-0 second-half deficit against Egypt in the Round of 16. Additionally, the team was taken to extra time by Cape Verde in the Round of 32 and by Switzerland in the quarterfinals. Messi emphasized the team’s resilience, stating, “We never stop fighting.”

Coach Scaloni acknowledged the magnitude of the upcoming match, noting, “It’s one more game. We cannot really think about the fact that it’s a World Cup final.” Martinez expressed the team’s dedication, saying, “We’re going to give absolutely our best, with Leo, with the team that we have, to bring the World Cup back to my country and celebrate with our people.” No team has achieved back-to-back World Cup victories since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.

World Cup Final Details

The World Cup final is scheduled for Sunday at 3 p.m. ET at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The match will feature the top two teams in FIFA‘s pre-tournament rankings: No. 1-ranked Argentina and No. 2-ranked Spain. Both teams enter the final undefeated.

This year’s World Cup will include a halftime show for the first time, curated by Coldplay‘s Chris Martin. The performance is set to feature artists such as Madonna, Shakira, Burna Boy, BTS, Justin Bieber, and Gustavo Dudamel, along with appearances from characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets. FIFA anticipates the halftime show will last 11 minutes, with the overall halftime break likely ranging from 20 to 30 minutes.

Post Malone is slated to perform at the tournament’s closing ceremony, which will commence an hour and a half before kickoff, at 1:30 p.m. ET. The World Cup final can be watched on television via TSN, or streamed on TSN.ca, the TSN+ app, and the Crave app. Select Cineplex movie theatre locations will also screen the game.

Lionel Messi, 39, has been a key player for Argentina, leading the team with eight goals and four assists in seven games. Other notable players for Argentina include Lautaro Martínez and Enzo Fernández. For Spain, Mikel Oyarzabal has scored five goals and provided one assist in the tournament, while winger Lamine Yamal is also a player to watch. Messi currently leads the tournament in scoring, with eight goals and four assists.

Source: tsn.ca