England is on the cusp of making history as they prepare to face Argentina, with a potential World Cup final against Spain on the horizon. The final is scheduled to take place at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey this Sunday, with kick-off at 8pm BST. Spain has already secured their spot in the final after a dominant 2-0 win over France in the semi-final.
Spain's victory over France was arguably the most dominant performance of any team in this year's World Cup, with goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro sealing the win. The team has not lost a game in over three years, boasting an unbeaten run of 37 games, which is the joint-highest of any men's team in international football history. This will be Spain's second appearance in the World Cup final, having previously won the title in 2010.
Spain has a formidable record in recent major finals, having won the Euros in 2008, 2012, and 2024. Their last loss in a major final was in the 1984 European Championships, 42 years ago. Should England fail to reach the final, they will instead contest the third-place play-off game against France, which is scheduled to take place in Miami on Saturday at 10pm BST.
The third-place play-off game would present England with an opportunity to secure their best finish at a World Cup since 1966. However, the team has recent experience of playing in the third-place game, having lost to Belgium in the 2018 World Cup play-off match after suffering an agonising extra-time defeat to Croatia in the semi-finals. England will be desperate to avoid playing in the third-place game and instead focus on reaching the final.
