What to watch for in World Cup final: Messi, Trump and an unorthodox half-time

After almost a month of enthralling and often high-paced soccer action in the US, Mexico and Canada, the 2026 Fifa World Cup is nearing conclusion. Just two matches remain – the bronze battle between England and France on Saturday. Then the grand finale between Argentina and France on Sunday, 19 July, at 9pm.

Daily Maverick takes a look at some key themes that will dominate the final match-up between Argentina and Spain.

Messi’s curtain call

Lionel Andrés Messi. A small boy from Rosario, Argentina, who morphed into not just a giant on the soccer field – but in the sporting realm. Due to his achievements with his long-time club Barcelona, as well as with the national team, Messi’s legacy will endure for decades, if not centuries.

After he walks away from the sport he gave so much of himself to, and which has given him so much back in return, the mythical story of Messi will be told around campfires, with crispy marshmallows in abundance. If the 39-year-old and his Argentina teammates manage to defend the World Cup trophy that they won four years ago in Qatar, Messi’s legend will expand to mammoth proportions. Not that he needs it to.

Messi has already established himself as the greatest player of his generation, an honour he shares with his on-pitch rival of many years, Cristiano Ronaldo. For some, Messi is even better than legends such as Brazil’s Pelé and Diego Maradona.

Adding a second World Cup overall win to titles such as the Copa América and Olympic Games gold with Argentina, as well as multiple LaLiga and European Champions League titles with Barcelona, would seal Messi’s legacy.

The midfield battle

While many eyes will be on Messi, with his fans rooting for him while Ronaldo’s fans hope he does not win another major trophy to separate himself from his rival, tactically the clash between the two teams promises a fascinating contrast.

The Spanish are known for the tiki-taka style. This comprises short and rapid passing, intricate player movement and the continuous hogging of the ball. This will once again be key for any Spanish success in the final, as it was crucial in nullifying the French in the semifinals. Manchester City midfielder Rodri and Fabián Ruiz dictated the tempo, with Rodri particularly important in that regard.

“Rodri is the axis of the team. He’s the positional reference point who does everything well. He understands attacking football brilliantly. He plays with very few touches. He breaks lines with incredible ease. Defensively, his positioning balances the team. He wins back countless balls. He’s unquestionably one of the most important players in our system. We’re fortunate to have a footballer like him,” said Spain’s coach Luis de la Fuente.

Argentina’s central midfield consists of Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernández, and Leandro Paredes. Whoever is trusted to fight against the Spanish will be key towards the South Americans retaining the title. Unlike the Spanish flair, Argentina’s midfield brings physicality.

Basically, whichever country controls the middle of the park will be halfway to winning the World Cup.

Trump’s attendance

US president Donald Trump will also be in attendance during Argentina and Spain’s battle. It’s the first 2026 World Cup game he will attend. He has presumably been too busy bombing, or planning to bomb, Iran during the other matches.

“We look forward ⁠to the final match on Sunday. I know ‌the president is ‌looking forward to attending,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. “This is a fitting conclusion to a tournament that showcased America’s ability to host the world on the grandest stage.”

Fifa president Gianni Infantino has said that Trump will hand the World Cup trophy to the winners. Trump did the same at the 2025 Fifa Club World Cup, to the chagrin of Chelsea playmaker Cole Palmer in particular.

“Hopefully we’ll present the trophy together in the final. That’s always been the plan, and that’s how it’s always been done in the past – the president of the country where the final is held presents the trophy together with the Fifa president,” said Infantino.

Hopefully Trump does not do anything that takes away the spotlight from the winning country. He is a major fan of the limelight, after all.

The half-time show

Half-time in soccer is 15 minutes. But it was not always the case. Just like many rules in soccer, the 15-minute half-time was made along the way. However, the half-time interval for the 2026 World Cup final will be longer than that. This is because Fifa will borrow from the US’ Super Bowl final in having a half-time show.

The actual musical show at the interval is scheduled to last 11 minutes. But the total halftime break will be extended to about 20 to 30 minutes to allow for stage construction and removal.

The show will feature stars such as Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira and BTS as co-headliners. Nigeria’s Burna Boy will also be in the mix. DM