Lionel Messi will have more than the FIFA World Cup trophy on his mind when Argentina takes on Spain in tonight’s final, with the Argentina captain also chasing the tournament’s Golden Boot after Kylian Mbappé surged to the top of the scoring charts.

Mbappé moved into the lead on Saturday by scoring twice in France’s thrilling 6-4 defeat to England in the third-place playoff. The two goals took the French striker’s tournament tally to 10 goals, putting him two clear of Messi, who has eight heading into the final.

The result means Messi now faces a difficult task if he is to reclaim the award for the tournament’s top scorer.

To draw level with Mbappé, Messi must score twice against Spain. If both players finish on 10 goals, FIFA’s tiebreakers would come into play. With both players currently credited with four assists, the Golden Boot would then be decided by the player who achieved the tally in fewer minutes on the pitch. Messi is believed to hold the advantage in that category.

To win the Golden Boot outright without relying on tiebreakers, Messi would need to score a hat-trick, finishing the tournament with 11 goals.

Despite the challenge, few would rule out the Argentina captain. The 39-year-old has once again delivered on football’s biggest stage, producing decisive performances throughout the tournament to lead the defending champions back to another World Cup final.

While individual honours are at stake, Messi has repeatedly said his focus remains on helping Argentina retain the World Cup. Victory over Spain would secure a fourth world title for Argentina and further cement Messi’s legacy as one of the greatest players in football history.

Mbappé, meanwhile, can only watch and wait after France’s campaign ended in the third-place playoff. His 10-goal haul has set a formidable benchmark, but with one match still to be played, the Golden Boot race remains alive.

Tonight’s final will determine not only the world champions but also whether Messi can produce one last remarkable performance to add another individual honour to his glittering career.

Argentina’s final preparations for tonight’s FIFA World Cup final against Spain were disrupted by severe thunderstorms on Saturday, with the defending champions forced to delay their training session by about 45 minutes, while Spain cancelled its outdoor practice altogether because of lightning and heavy rain.

Argentina, led by captain Lionel Messi, eventually took to the field at the RWJBarnabas Health Red Bulls Performance Center after weather conditions improved. The squad initially completed an indoor activation session before being cleared to train outdoors.

Spain, meanwhile, remained indoors after safety officials called off the team’s scheduled training session under U.S. lightning protocols. Players instead carried out gym-based exercises as head coach Luis de la Fuente made final preparations for the biggest match of the tournament.

The storms also helped improve air quality in the New York-New Jersey area after concerns earlier in the week over smoke drifting south from Canadian wildfires. Tournament organisers have indicated that weather conditions are expected to be favourable for the final, with no disruption anticipated for kick-off.

The championship match will be played at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, where more than 80,000 fans are expected to witness the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Argentina is chasing a fourth World Cup title after defeating England 2-1 in the semi-finals, while Spain secured its place in the final with a 2-0 victory over France.

Much of the attention will focus on Argentina captain Lionel Messi, who has once again inspired his side with a series of decisive performances and now has the opportunity to add another World Cup winner’s medal to his remarkable career. Spain, meanwhile, has impressed throughout the tournament with its disciplined defence, composed possession-based football and clinical finishing.

Security has been heightened around the stadium ahead of the final, while FIFA expects one of the largest global television audiences of the year as football’s two remaining contenders battle for the sport’s biggest prize.

Kick-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. EDT (11.30 p.m. Kabul time), with fans across the globe eagerly awaiting what promises to be a thrilling World Cup final.

Fans in Afghanistan however can tune in to Ariana Television from 10 p.m. to watch the preshow where commentators will discuss the upcoming match.

Fans in Afghanistan are also encouraged to follow ATN and Ariana News’ social media pages for updated news and information.

Spain captain Rodri has called on his teammates to approach Sunday’s World Cup final with ambition rather than fear, as they prepare to face Lionel Messi and defending champions Argentina in the battle for football’s biggest prize.

Spain head into the final after a period of success that has seen them win the UEFA Nations League and European Championship in recent years. Rodri said the team’s rise has been the result of steady progress rather than overnight success.

“We’ve been through a gradual process of growth, where we’ve seen a team mature over the last few years,” Rodri told a press conference on Friday.

He said the current generation had been building its reputation and reaching the World Cup final was another step in that journey, but added that the team’s ambitions extend beyond simply making the final.

For Rodri, who has won the Champions League with Manchester City and the Ballon d’Or, lifting the World Cup would represent the highest achievement in football.

“The greatest ​thing that can happen to you is to become world champion,” he said. “I’m happy with my career, but there’s always that ​drive to keep going.”

Spain have conceded only once during the tournament, and Rodri described them as a balanced side capable of controlling different areas of the pitch, including defence, midfield and attack. When asked about Spain’s weaknesses, he declined to reveal details.

“We have strengths ​and weaknesses,” he said. “We have few weaknesses, but I’ll keep those to myself.”

Standing in Spain’s way are Argentina, who are in their second consecutive World Cup final. Rodri praised Argentina’s mentality, highlighting their resilience, ability to recover from difficult situations and strong competitive spirit.

“What you’re clearly referring to is the competitive spirit that this team possesses, their ability to come back from adverse situations, and their character,” he said.

“We have to go for the win; we have to be determined to win the World Cup, and we have to be ambitious. And I think that means being ourselves ​throughout the match.”

The Spain captain also spoke highly of Messi, calling him the greatest player of all time, while emphasizing that Argentina’s strength goes beyond their star forward.

“For me, he’s the greatest player of all time,” Rodri said. “He’s a player who’s been able to lead his national team to win the World Cup ​and, in this case, to the final.

“But Argentina is much more than just Messi… obviously, ​we’ll have to ⁠keep an eye on him, but also on many others.”

Rodri expects Sunday’s final to be more physical than Spain’s 2-0 semi-final victory over France.

“Sunday’s match is going to be a different one; I think it’ll be more of a battle, more physical, and we’ll ⁠have to ​be prepared,” he said.

Spain’s historic 2010 World Cup triumph remains an inspiration for the current generation, though Rodri noted that football has changed significantly since then. He said the key lesson from that team was their belief and determination to achieve what once seemed impossible.

“They went into it with that determination,” Rodri said. “That’s what I’d take from that generation.”

Sunday’s final will kick off at 11:30 p.m. Afghanistan time, with fans able to watch the match live on Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN).