The 2022 World Cup final still casts a long shadow, and with the 2026 tournament down to the final four teams, the prospect of Argentina and France meeting again is very much alive. It would not be the first time Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé have shaped the biggest night in world football, but it is also not a certainty yet, with England and Spain among the sides capable of stopping that rematch.
Four years ago, Argentina and France produced one of the most memorable World Cup finals in recent history. Lionel Messi finally lifted the trophy after an unforgettable penalty shootout, while Kylian Mbappé scored a hat-trick and became only the second player to do that in a World Cup final.
A rematch still feels possible
That background is why this stage of the 2026 tournament feels so significant. Argentina have already survived tests from Cape Verde and Egypt before defeating Switzerland in the quarter-finals, while France have reached the last four having conceded only one goal in the competition. Spain have also conceded only one goal in the ongoing tournament, which underlines how tight and competitive the run to the final has become.
On form and history, Argentina and France remain the obvious headline act. They are the teams that can sell the final to any audience, not only because of what happened in 2022, but because both have shown enough resilience to believe they can go all the way again.
England and Spain can still change the story
But there is no guarantee the final will follow that script. England and Spain are still in the picture, and either could alter the outcome before the rematch talk becomes reality. In a tournament where the margins are already so fine, the path to the final can change quickly.
That is what makes this moment so compelling. The memory of Messi, Mbappé and the 2022 final is powerful, but the 2026 tournament has reached the stage where one result can still rewrite the ending. Argentina and France may be the most obvious finalists, yet the final four ensures the story is not finished just yet.
