After a match of thrills, spills and loads of heartbreak, the race to be topped world champions has lastly been narrowed down to only two groups.
Argentina want to defend their 2022 title, with talisman Lionel Messi hoping to guide his workforce to a different victory in his sixth World Cup look.
The Spanish aspect in the meantime are chasing their second title after profitable the match in 2010.
Earlier than all of it kicks off on Sunday on the New York New Jersey Stadium, Each day Mail Sport offers you the important thing stats from each groups’ performances up up to now…
Argentina want to defend their 2022 title, with talisman Lionel Messi hoping to guide his workforce to a different victory in his sixth World Cup look
Argentina
Supervisor: Lionel Scaloni
Argentina, who shattered hearts throughout England by knocking them out within the semi-finals, have gained the World Cup thrice earlier than, in 1978, 1986 and 2022.
1986 was, after all, the yr of the notorious Hand of God purpose by Diego Maradona that deepened the tense rivalry between England and Argentina.
Key stats
Most minutes performed
Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez has performed each minute, with 798 – two of Argentina’s video games having gone to additional time. By way of outfield stars, Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister has performed each minute of each sport bar the ultimate group sport, when he got here off the bench with the workforce already by. He has totalled 728, forward of solely Lionel Messi on 712.
Alexis Mac Allister has banked 630 minutes of pitch time, having appeared within the beginning XI of each match however one
Least minutes performed
Midfielder Valentin Barco has solely managed 19 minutes on the pitch, throughout the group-stage match towards Jordan. Regardless of being benched throughout the semi-final, he did make fairly an impression on Jude Bellingham, who slapped him on the top after the whistle.
Striker Jose Manuel Lopez has additionally spent a number of time on the bench, with simply 18 minutes of taking part in time throughout two matches. In his 10 minutes on the pitch within the quarter-final towards Switzerland, he made one help and earned himself a yellow card.
Most objectives
Lionel Messi with eight in whole, which additionally places him on high of the Golden Boot race. It additionally tops his private document for objectives scored in a World Cup. His earlier excessive was throughout the 2022 match when he scored seven general.
Midfielder Valentin Barco has solely managed 19 minutes on the pitch – however nonetheless managed to make fairly an impression on Jude Bellingham, who slapped him on the top after the whistle
Most pictures per match
Messi, once more, with 4.9.
Most assists
You guessed it, Messi. The 39-year-old has made 4 assists to date.
Highest-rated participant (by way of Sofascore)
Messi at 9.03. The nine-time Ballon d’Or winner has the best score of all gamers all through the match.
Spain
Supervisor: Luis de la Fuente
After a masterclass show towards France within the semi-final, La Roja are hoping to win their second World Cup title. If their efficiency within the match to date is something to go by, they stand probability.
Key stats
Most minutes performed
Defenders Pau Cubarsi and Marc Cucurella have performed all of Spain’s 717 minutes to date, as has goalkeeper Unai Simon.
Defenders Pau Cubarsi and Marc Cucurella have appeared within the beginning XI for each single match throughout their World Cup run
Least minutes performed
On the flip aspect, Eric Garcia, Alex Grimaldo, Victor Munoz and Martin Zubimendi have not had the prospect to play in any respect. Perhaps they will get their second within the highlight throughout the ultimate, however I would not wager on it.
Most objectives
Mikel Oyarzabal has scored a complete of 5 objectives to date, scoring twice in each an R32 match and a group-stage sport.
Most pictures per match
Nineteen-year-old midfielder Lamine Yamal leads on this class, with 3.3 pictures per match. He is solely managed to search out the web as soon as, although, within the group-stage match towards Saudi Arabia.
Most assists
Spain’s participant with essentially the most assists, Marc Cucurella, has made half the variety of assists as his Argentine counterpart, Messi. Cucurella’s two each got here within the R32 towards Austria.
Lamine Yamal leads with most pictures per sport for Spain with 3.3 per match, though he is solely managed to search out the web as soon as this match
Highest-rated participant (by way of Sofascore)
Midfielder Rodri tops his squad with a rating of seven.67. The Manchester Metropolis participant has run the furthest distance on the match, overlaying 52.07 miles, forward of Harry Kane in second with 48.82 miles and Elliot Anderson in third with 47.62 miles (forward of the bronze medal match). He has introduced a lot extra to this Spain workforce than merely working, after all, nevertheless it does show how a lot of a shift he has put in.
Head-to-head
Complete objectives scored
Argentina have managed a formidable 19 objectives over the course of the match, essentially the most of any workforce this yr. Eight of these can, after all, be credited to Messi.
Spain are lagging behind with 13 in whole.
Objectives conceded
Argentina have additionally conceded fairly just a few objectives, with seven in whole.
Spain have fared beautifully nicely on this class, conceding just one purpose, which got here towards Belgium within the quarter-finals. This places them on the high of the leaderboard throughout all groups on this class.
Spain have conceded only one purpose all through the entire match – with goalkeeper Unai Simon and the remainder of the workforce pulling off a stellar defensive effort all through
Possession
Argentina and Spain sit pretty evenly with their possession stats all through the competitors: Argentina at 60.9 per cent and Spain barely larger at 63.7 per cent.
Clear sheets
Spain have six, which is thrice Argentina’s two. Perhaps Spain can convey their whole as much as seven by the top of the weekend.
Yellow playing cards and fouls
Argentina have managed 9 yellow playing cards throughout seven matches, however no reds. They’ve averaged 12.6 fouls per match.
Spain have fewer, with six, and no crimson playing cards both. Their foul common sits at 11.4 per match.
Penalty objectives conceded
Neither workforce have conceded from a penalty to date. Who is aware of, perhaps Sunday’s ultimate will convey a primary.
Group-stage factors
Argentina got here into the knockout rounds strongly with 9 factors after profitable all their matches.
Spain had seven factors after drawing with Cape Verde within the group stage.
