Just hours before Argentina walk out at MetLife Stadium to defend their FIFA World Cup crown, centre-back Lisandro Martinez took to social media with a heartfelt call for togetherness, asking his teammates to stand as one when the defending champions face Spain in Sunday's final in New Jersey.
A Message From The Heart
The Manchester United defender took to X on the eve of the summit clash, posting a photo of the Argentina squad and praising the closeness inside coach Lionel Scaloni's camp. Martinez quoted only briefly, writing: "Let's go, Argentina!!!" He described the group's collective effort throughout the tournament and called it a privilege to be part of the team.
Martinez's Own Run To The Final
The 28-year-old has been central to Argentina's march to the summit clash, starting six of the side's seven games so far. In the semifinal against England, he was on the pitch for 72 minutes as Argentina overturned an early deficit to win 2-1, with Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez on the scoresheet. Alongside Cristian Romero, he has anchored a defensive pairing that has held up through the knockout rounds as Argentina push for back-to-back World Cup titles.
Argentina's Streak, Spain's Wall
Argentina arrive at the final unbeaten in 14 straight matches, a run that matches the longest ever put together by a South American side. Scaloni's team has repeatedly shown its nerve in the knockouts, either fighting back from behind or finding late, decisive goals in all four of their matches since the group stage ended.
Spain, meanwhile, have made their mark with defensive discipline. They have conceded only once in seven games and are the only side in the tournament to have kept six clean sheets, a first for any men's team in a single World Cup. Spain's road to the final started with a goalless draw against Cape Verde. Six wins in a row followed, with Portugal, France, Belgium and Austria among the sides beaten, taking Spain into their first final since 2010.
A Finely Balanced Rivalry
The two sides' history is remarkably even, six wins each and two draws, and that balance mirrors the occasion: Argentina hold the Copa America crown while Spain hold the European title, setting up a final between two continental champions to close out the FIFA World Cup 2026.
