Spain vs. Argentina: How Lamine Yamal's Roja can surpass Lionel Messi's Albiceleste after 1-0 World Cup 2026 final win

A determined Spain overcame a stubborn Argentina side to win the World Cup 2026 final on Sunday, downing the holders 1-0 at MetLife Stadium.

La Roja substitute Ferran Torres fired home the only goal of the game, which was surrounded by all the spectacle a final held in the United States would imply.

However, while the scoreline was narrow, it would be fair to say that Luis de la Fuente's side were deserving victors, given that they were on top for the entirety of the contest - even before Enzo Fernandez was sent off in second-half stoppage time.

Sunday's triumph means that Spain are now the simultaneous European and world champions, mirroring Argentina's success in Qatar in 2022, which came as they held the South American crown following the Copa America in 2021.

Here, after La Roja won the World Cup final, Sports Mole takes a look at how Lamine Yamal's side can surpass Lionel Messi's Albiceleste going forward.

Spain's World Cup winning team have a core of young players

1 - 19-year-old Pau Cubarsí led all players in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final for:

Touches (139)
Passes successful (121)
Passing accuracy (96%)
Line-breaking passes (21)
Clearances (6)

Unfazed. pic.twitter.com/C7oMgwIcgo
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 19, 2026

The main narrative that formed ahead of the World Cup final was centred around the showdown between Yamal and Messi, the stars of their respective nations.

The Inter Miami forward is widely considered to be the greatest player in the history of football, and at 39-years-old he showed his class on the global stage once again, carrying Argentina to the final with a staggering eight goals and four assists.

In stark contrast, Barcelona's Spanish winger Yamal - who has quickly grown into one of the most dangerous attackers around - turned 19-years-old on July 13, making him more than 20 years Messi's junior.

That age difference became the biggest ever between opponents in a World Cup final on Sunday, and it is notable that a number of La Roja's key players are significantly younger than those of La Albiceleste.

For example, Spain centre-back Pau Cubarsi, who picked up the FIFA Young Player Award and started every match at this summer's World Cup, is just 19-years-old.

Likewise, Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams may be comparatively older than his teammates Yamal and Cubarsi, but he turned 24 on July 12.

Overall, De la Fuente selected the sixth-youngest squad at World Cup 2026, with an average age of 26.19 years, while Lionel Scaloni's Argentina ranked 40th in terms of average age (28.62).

If La Roja can continue to develop in the coming years, it is difficult to see how teams will be able to stop them from collecting even more silverware, and Spain are sure to be favourites heading towards Euro 2028.

Luis de la Fuente's Spain are much more than the Lamine Yamal show

1 - Spain have conceded just one goal in their eight games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the fewest goals conceded by any team in a World Cup winning campaign.

Immovable. pic.twitter.com/udt85Clixt
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 19, 2026

One of Argentina's biggest strengths at World Cup 2026 was the unity in their squad, and the coherence of their vision, but the fact that they were so reliant on Messi to create was also a major limiting factor.

La Albiceleste scored 19 times during this summer's tournament, meaning that the captain contributed to roughly 63% of their goals.

For comparison, Yamal is the headline-grabbing forward for Spain, but he only found the back of the net once on his way to winning the World Cup, while also failing to provide a single assist - a contribution rate of just seven percent.

The fact that La Roja boast a variety of ways to win games bodes well for the longevity of their success, as well as the efficacy of their approach going forward.

Spain are also able to rely on their impressive defensive solidity to keep even the most dangerous opponents at bay, as highlighted by their seven clean sheets across eight World Cup games, a campaign that saw them concede only once.

The underlying numbers also showcase just how remarkable De la Fuente's defence have been: La Roja's opponents produced a mere 2.3 expected goals this summer, averaging 0.3 xG per match, the best per-game figure in recorded World Cup history.

A new era of international football is beginning after World Cup 2026

Argentina deserve the praise they have garnered for being one of the strongest nations around in the 2020s, but it is also important to note the context surrounding their success.

For example, four-time world champions Germany have been a shadow of their former selves in recent years, and reaching the round of 32 in 2026 marked their best finish at the World Cup since their 2014 triumph.

In that same vein, five-time winners Brazil have only gone beyond the quarter-finals on one occasion since 2002.

However, a new era of international competition is set to begin in the coming years, with former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp taking the reins of the German national team and Carlo Ancelotti set to rebuild his Brazil squad.

Adding to the sense of change is the fact that Zinedine Zidane is reportedly stepping into the France dugout to replace Didier Deschamps, positioning Les Bleus - who arguably boast the most well-stocked forward line of any country - as serious challengers once again.

With that in mind, the level of competition that Spain will be up against in the near future is likely to surpass the opposition Argentina bested in the past, and if La Roja can maintain their levels of success in the new era, then their legacy will be boosted even further.