Spain vs Argentina

There have already been 102 matches played at the 2026 World Cup. Only two remain. On this episode, ESPN’s Eric Gomez and I spent almost all of our time talking about one of them - and it wasn’t the third-place game. A quick aside: I think the Bronze Medal Match often gets an unfair rap. For many countries, it’s a meaningful opportunity to end the tournament with a win. But when you’re France or England? Yeah, these are two teams that arrived expecting to lift the trophy and it has to feel a bit embarrassing to drag yourself onto the pitch for this one.. If it were the USMNT or El Tri, though? We’d both happily take it. Alas… Instead, our focus was on Sunday’s Final. We broke down Spain’s 2-0 semifinal win and explained why we pushed back against the idea that it was “boring.” To us, it was a masterclass in Spanish soccer identity. Spain knows exactly who they are, and that’s a standard every nation with World Cup ambitions should aspire to. We also dissected Argentina’s 2-1 victory over England, including Thomas Tuchel’s insane tactical approach. How does Argentina continue to find ways to win on the biggest stage? And after everything we’ve already said over the years, is there anything left to add about Lionel Messi? One of the Final’s most compelling storylines is the connection between Spain and Messi through La Masia, FC Barcelona’s legendary academy. Spain’s squad features seven La Masia graduates, all chasing a World Cup against the academy’s most notable and decorated alum. Will those relationships matter once the match kicks off, or will Spain continue to show the emotional discipline that’s defined its tournament? We also spent some time discussing Mexico’s future under Rafa Márquez, put a bow on the Flo Balogun saga, and talked about one unexpected way this World Cup has helped soccer grow in the United States. Enjoy the Final. It has all the makings of a classic This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dsmithshow.substack.com