Predictions from former football stars on the 2026 World Cup final

This marks the first time in history that a reigning European champion and a reigning South American champion meet in a World Cup final.

Spain, the EURO 2024 champions, are aiming for their second World Cup title, following their first victory in South Africa in 2010.

Meanwhile, defending champions Argentina are seeking to become the third nation in history to successfully retain the World Cup trophy.

Opta: Spain is the stronger favorite

According to the forecasting model of statistics firm Opta, Spain has a 59.56% chance of winning the championship in the final held in New Jersey.

Many former players and commentators also lean toward La Roja.

Legend Michael Owen: Spain deserves to be champions

Former England striker Michael Owen believes Spain is the most deserving team of the tournament.

The former England striker told The Strait Times: "Spain may not have the best individuals. I think France does. But as a collective, Spain has everything that England lacks—they are brave and confident on the ball."

According to Owen, Spain is "a fantastic team, passing with confidence and playing beautiful collective football."

Zlatan Ibrahimovic: Spain will dominate Argentina

Former Barcelona and Manchester United forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic, now a commentator for Fox Sports, believes Spain will fully control the match.

According to Ibrahimovic, Spain performed very well against France in the semifinal and will do the same against Argentina.

He stated: "Argentina is not a counter-attacking team. Spain will play their way, relying on collective strength. I believe Spain will dominate the game."

John Terry and Iker Casillas both back La Roja

Former England captain John Terry also considers Spain the strongest contender for the title.

Terry once said on the program Sports Uncensored that Luis de la Fuente's team is "too strong for Argentina."

Former goalkeeper Iker Casillas, who captained Spain to their first World Cup win in 2010, expressed confidence in his country's ability to win a second title, sharing an image of an unfinished star embroidered on their badge.

Each star represents a World Cup title a team has won.

Alan Shearer: Argentina still has a chance thanks to their grit

Although most opinions favor a Spanish victory, some believe Argentina still has a chance, albeit a slim one.

Alan Shearer, one of England's greatest strikers of all time, backed the defending champions, stating on the podcast The Rest is Football: "If there is any team that can stop them (Spain), it's Argentina because of their spirit and unity."

Alan Shearer said: "They've faced difficulties and setbacks many times, yet somehow they still win. That's what's admirable about them."

According to Alan Shearer, when a genius is in the squad—referring to Messi—Argentina always has a chance.

But how can Argentina defeat the higher-rated team Spain in the final?

Micah Richards: To win, Argentina must counter-attack

According to Qatar's Al Jazeera channel on July 19, English football commentator Micah Richards believes the answer lies in a deep-lying transition style—the tactic of teams dropping deep to defend near their own goal and, after regaining possession, quickly switching from a tight defensive formation to an attacking counter-attack.

Richards advised: "Pass the ball to Messi, while (Julian) Alvarez or (Lautaro) Martinez only make things worse, just like they did against England."

"I think Argentina need to hold their ground like they did against England and explode when they see a shift in the momentum," Richards added.

Gary Lineker: The match is a 50-50 toss-up

Meanwhile, another English football legend, Gary Lineker, has stuck with his pre-tournament pick of Spain but added that Argentina is "very resilient," making it very difficult to predict the outcome.

Lineker said: "You can't go against that little guy (Messi). He's too good; the match will be very, very tight. It's truly 50-50."

New York Mayor refuses to make a prediction

Unlike others, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani declined to pick a side.

He joked: "Whichever team I support loses. So if I pick someone, that team will probably lose."

Finally, he gave a "politician-style" answer: "I just hope to see a great final."