New York, USA: Sunday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup final pits two of the tournament’s most statistically dominant teams, with Spain and Argentina leading several key performance categories throughout the competition.
While Spain and Argentina battle for football’s biggest prize, France and England will meet in Saturday’s third-place playoff after falling in the semi-finals.
Here are the standout numbers heading into the final weekend.
Golden Boot Still Up for Grabs
Argentina captain Lionel Messi and France star Kylian Mbappe are tied at the top of the adidas Golden Boot standings with eight goals each.
Although Mbappe still has one more match in the third-place playoff, Messi can also add to his tally in the final against Spain. Norway’s Erling Haaland sits third with seven goals after his country’s elimination.
Top Goalscorers
- Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 8 goals, 4 assists
- Kylian Mbappe (France) – 8 goals, 3 assists
- Erling Haaland (Norway) – 7 goals
- Jude Bellingham (England) – 6 goals
- Harry Kane (England) – 6 goals
Messi Leads Argentina’s Attack
Messi has been the tournament’s most influential attacker statistically. He leads all players in: 34 total shots, 19 shots on target (joint-highest with Mbappé), and 6.16 expected goals (xG)
Spain’s Balance Has Been Exceptional
Spain have combined defensive discipline with technical dominance. They lead the tournament in six clean sheets and 343 forced turnovers.
Their skipper and midfielder, Rodri, has been the tournament’s outstanding passer, recording 694 passes, 648 completed passes and 83.8 kilometres covered, the highest by any player.
Spain have also completed 4,156 passes, second only to Argentina.
Argentina Control Possession
Argentina have dictated games through their possession-based style. The reigning South American champions lead all teams with:
- 4,772 passes
- 4,324 completed passes
- 813,091 metres covered
- 15.38 expected goals (xG)
France Remain the Most Dangerous Attack
Despite missing the final, France still lead several attacking metrics entering the third-place playoff. The Les Bleus have 120 total attempts (joint-highest with Spain), 50 shots on target, and 80 successful take-ons.
France also boast the tournament’s leading creator, Michael Olise, who has registered five assists.
Yamal Tops Dribbling Charts
19-year-old Spanish winger Lamine Yamal has completed 30 successful take-ons, the highest of any player at the tournament.
He is followed by Kylian Mbappé – 24, Vinícius Júnior – 23 and Lionel Messi – 22.
Most Saves by a Goalkeeper
Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill has made 28 saves, the highest total by any goalkeeper despite Paraguay exiting in the Round of 16.
Players to Watch in the Final
Argentina
- Lionel Messi – 8 goals, 4 assists
- Enzo Fernandez – among tournament leaders in completed passes
- Alexis Mac Allister – fourth-highest distance covered
Spain
- Rodri – tournament leader in passes and distance covered
- Lamine Yamal – leader in successful take-ons
- Mikel Oyarzabal – 5 goals and tournament-high 53 forced turnovers
With the World Cup trophy on the line, Sunday’s final also offers Messi an opportunity to cap another remarkable tournament, while Spain will rely on their possession-based football and defensive solidity in pursuit of a second FIFA World Cup title.
If you would like your article/opinion to be published on Uganda’s most authoritative news platform, send your submission on: [email protected]. You can also follow DailyExpress on WhatsApp and on Twitter (X) for realtime updates.
