Football betting tips: World Cup
1.5pts Spain clean sheet after 90 minutes at 13/8 (General)
1pt Draw after 90 minutes at 11/5 (General)
0.5pt Under 0.5 goals in 90 minutes at 8/1 (Sky Bet)
2pts Marc Cucurella 1+ shots at 6/4 (Coral, Ladbrokes)
0.5pt Marc Cucurella 2+ shots at 10/1 (Coral, Ladbrokes)
1.75pts Alex Baena 1+ shots on target at 17/10 (Coral, Ladbrokes)
0.75pt Baena 2+ shots on target at 10/1 (Betfred, Coral, Ladbrokes)
However much it stings as an England fan, it's hard to deny that Sunday's biggest game in football will be contested by the correct two teams.
For the first time in history the champions of Europe and South America meet in the World Cup final.
Between them, they have won all of the last four major tournaments that have taken place across those two continents.
*Major tournament winners since 2021
- 2021 - Euros: Italy / Copa America: ARGENTINA
- 2022 - World Cup: ARGENTINA
- 2024 - Euros: SPAIN / Copa America: ARGENTINA
- 2026 - World Cup: SPAIN/ARGENTINA
*Europe and South America only
Spain can join their nation's class of 2010 by holding both the European and world titles concurrently, an achievement only previously achieved by France (1998 and 2000) and West Germany (1972 and 1974).
Holders Argentina are on the edge of matching the legendary Brazil team of 1962 by winning back-to-back World Cups.
Victory would surely see them usurp that iconic side as the greatest international team of all time, with Lionel Scaloni already arguably the game's best ever manager at this level.
Remarkably, after a 28-year barren spell Argentina are one win from clinching four successive major tournaments across just five years.
The teams' routes to the final have been very different.
Spain may have started the tournament with a goalless draw against Cape Verde - who would go on to take Argentina to extra time - but across their seven matches they have never gone beyond the 90 or fallen behind, with the goal conceded in their 2-1 quarter-final victory over Belgium the only time their defence has been breached.
Argentina, meanwhile, breezed through their group before being made to battle through every stage of the knockouts, with last-gasp fightbacks against Egypt and England, and extra-time wins over Cape Verde and Switzerland.
It's certainly been dramatic.
Last five World Cup finals
- 2006: Italy 1-1 (AET) France
Italy won 5-3 on pens - 2010: Spain 1-0 (AET) Netherlands
- 2014: Germany 1-0 (AET) Argentina
- 2018: France 4-2 Croatia
- 2022: Argentina 3-3 (AET) France
Argentina won 4-2 on pens
This feels very much like a final that could go all the way.
Spain delivered the perfect performance against France in the semis, but their opponents simply didn't turn up. Given the body of evidence we have it's hard to see that being the case with Argentina.
While they seem to be a different team when falling behind, with Lionel Messi bursting into life in a completely different way, Scaloni's side shared an incredibly cagey first half with England, making history as the first game in World Cup history to have no shots in the opening 30 minutes.
Spain's matches have hardly been thrillers. Their last-16 meeting with Portugal was a terrible watch, with Mikel Merino's stoppage-time goal saving us all from what would have been a painful further 30 minutes.
They looked destined for extra time in the next round too, before an injury to Belgium keeper Thibaut Courtois sent Senne Lammens on to make a terrible error in the closing moments and spill the ball to Merino (again) for a tap-in.
In the group stage, Uruguay were edged 1-0 in an ill-tempered match that we could very well see replicated on Sunday, and they also had the aforementioned goalless draw with Cape Verde.
Four of the last five World Cup finals have ended in a DRAW AFTER 90 MINUTES with two of those seeing UNDER 0.5 GOALS.
At 11/5 and 8/1 they are both backed to appropriate stakes, with a SPAIN CLEAN SHEET also taken at 13/8.
Should they replicate their semi-final performance, Luis de la Fuente's men ought to be lifting the trophy. They have the midfield dominance through Rodri, Fabian Ruiz and Dani Olmo to control the match in a way England simply could not.
They may well have to draw upon all of their patience, though, and be prepared to finish the job in extra time.
But this is Argentina. And they have Messi. I won't be backing Spain outright thank you.
Score prediction: Spain 1-0 (AET) Argentina
France did perhaps boast the star power but Spain have shown they are the best team at the tournament. I expect that to continue in the final.
De la Fuente's side can control a game in terrifying fashion for any opponent. They can make them look ordinary. They could embarrass someone if they wanted to.
While I wouldn't expect the latter given the occasion they can still dictate how the 90 minutes should go. Ultimately, Argentina deserve credit for finding ways to win but they've been on the other end of the 'convincing' scale.
I'm therefore looking at pro-Spain angles and I don't mind the 17/10 for ALEX BAENA 1+ SHOTS ON TARGET here. While not the standout candidate in this attack he has still been contributing.
The left winger has had at least one shot in each of his six starts with a goal coming in the win over Uruguay in the group stage. Against France, Baena had two shots although neither found the target.
I do feel Spain can enjoy some success down this side with plenty of defensive focus going into how Argentina will stop Lamine Yamal.
Only Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal have returned more shots on target at the tournament among Spanish players. Cutting in from that left side, he should cause Nahuel Molina plenty of problems.
I'll also have a smaller stakes play on the 2+ SHOTS ON TARGET.
Score prediction: Spain 2-0 Argentina
Argentina’s attack is lethal, spearheaded by one of the all-time greats Lionel Messi.
Alongside Kylian Mbappe, he leads the race for the Golden Boot (8) and has set up the second most goals (4).
Is he doing enough defensively though?
Although it hasn’t proved to be fatal yet, the space Messi leaves when Argentina don’t have the ball is a bit of an issue.
He basically plays as a right winger and opposition who play in a similar area of the pitch have had some joy in the knockouts.
In the semi-final, England’s Anthony Gordon became the latest left-sided opponent to get amongst the goals.
Against Switzerland in the quarters, six of 11 shots came from Dan Ndoye (LM) and Granit Xhaka (LCM) with the former scoring the equaliser which was assisted by Swiss left back Ricardo Rodriguez.
In the round of 16, Mostafa Zico scored Egypt’s second from a fast break. Although he was playing up-front on paper, Zico’s heatmap shows he was more of a left winger.
Trezeguet came off the bench to play on the left and had two shots and the only other shot the north Africans had came from their left-back Karim Hafez.
Against Cape Verde in the round of 16, Deroy Duarte (LCM) and Sidney Cabral (LB) both netted with the duo and left-sided midfielder Jovane Cabral combining to have five shots.
Baena (LM), Fabian Ruiz (LCM) and MARC CUCURELLA (LB) will probably form Spain’s left side and it’s the latter's price in the SHOTS market which appeals.
Cucurella is 6/4 with Coral and Ladbrokes for 1+ SHOTS but I’d take the 5/4 with bet365 or the even money generally available.
He’s averaged 0.57 shots per 90 this summer, this bet only clicked in three of his seven appearances but the angle is based more on La Roja’s opponents.
The bigger prices available on Cucurella having 2+ SHOTS are also worth a punt. He did hit this line in Spain’s first game against Cape Verde.
Score prediction: Spain 3-1 Argentina
Odds correct at 12:00 BST (17/07/26)
More World Cup content from Sporting Life
Outright previews
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