Spain v Argentina in the World Cup final: the referee, the stats and the omens

Spain v Argentina in the World Cup final: the referee, the stats and the omens spotlights a high-stakes matchup in New Jersey on Sunday between the top two FIFA-ranked teams. Slavko Vincic will become the first Slovene to referee a World Cup final; at 46, he previously oversaw the 2024 Champions League final at Wembley and Spain’s 2-1 Euro 2024 semi-final win over France. This tournament adds more context: Vincic showed Ecuador’s Piero Hincapie a red card for covering his mouth in the 95th minute versus Mexico, and he averages 2.33 yellow cards per game. The article also notes a finals trend in which the team that plays its semi-final first has won 13 of the past 14 men’s and women’s World Cup and European Championship finals, with Spain having an extra day of rest this time. On form, Argentina has scored 19 goals and Spain 14, while Spain has conceded just one compared with Argentina’s seven. Rings will be awarded to the winners.