PREVIEW | A very blaugrana World Cup final

After more than a month of football, the 2026 World Cup final is upon us with Spain taking on Argentina in the New York New Jersey stadium in the USA, kick off at 9pm CEST 

The final has a very blaugrana feel to it with eight Barça players in Luis de la Fuente's squad and, of course, Barça legend Leo Messi captaining the Argentina team. 

For Spain, Joan Garcia, Cubarsí, Eric, Pedri, Gavi, Olmo, Ferran and Lamine Yamal all have the chance in 2026 to emulate the blaugrana World Cup winners in 2010 in South Africa when Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets, Piqué and Puyol lifted the trophy as Barça players.  

For the eight Barça players it will be a chance to lift their first World Cup and round off what has been an excellent season at club level under coach Hansi Flick, winning the league title and the Spanish Super Cup. 

Lamine Yamal and Messi, two jewels from La Masia 

Barça's youth system, La Masia, has a big presence in the final with current blaugrana Lamine Yamal just one of several players in the Spain squad who have passed through the youth teams at the Club. 

Argentina, for their part, have 39 year old La Masia product and footballing legend Leo Messi as their captain. With eight goals already in the tournament, the man who began his career in the blaugrana youth teams has a chance to add a second consecutive World Cup winners' medal to his extensive collection of honours. 

At just 19 years of age, the Barça number 10 has already set a whole host of records and if Lamine Yamal and Spain take the trophy, the forward will become the first player to win the European Championships and the World Cup before the age of 20. 

The scene is set and the world awaits to see which La Masia graduates will lift the famous trophy on Sunday.