Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Lionel Messi is playing in his third World Cup final while Lamine Yamal is playing in his first
Sunday's World Cup final pits holders Argentina against Spain. The South American champions against the European champions. How do they compare? This is the story of the numbers.
Since two of their games went to extra time, Argentina have played an hour of football more than Spain at this tournament - so we have taken that into account by including the 'per 90 minutes' version of each statistic.
With 19 goals, Argentina side have scored the most at the tournament, thanks mainly to some clinical finishing. They have now scored at least two goals in each of their past 13 World Cup games, since losing 2-1 to Saudi Arabia in their opening fixture four years ago.
Despite taking more shots, Spain have scored six goals fewer - as they have been average finishers so far, simply scoring as many goals as expected given the number and quality of their chances (13 scored, against an xG rating of 13.3).
Argentina have actually only scored one more goal from inside the box but have been far more dangerous outside it, scoring five times while Spain are yet to score from distance.
Spain may have scored six goals fewer than Argentina but have conceded six goals fewer too, letting in just one so far - in their 2-1 quarter-final victory against Belgium.
The South Americans can perhaps consider themselves unlucky to have conceded seven, as only three sides have given up shots less often and only Spain have a lower xG against them per 90 minutes.
But even if Argentina's defence has been better than it looks, Spain's has been in a league of its own.
Incredibly, despite playing more games than 44 of the other teams, Spain still have the lowest defensive xG overall at this World Cup (2.1), with Uruguay the second-lowest after going out in the group stage (2.4).
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Below is a map of the shots faced by Luis de la Fuente's side so far - the bigger the dot, the better the chance. As you can see, there are no big dots as Spain have given up the hardest chances to score.
Image source, Opta Image caption, An image displaying where Spain have conceded shots from at the World Cup
A big reason is that, for all the praise they get for their technical ability, Spain work hard too. While Argentina have covered 13.5 m more overall because of those two stints of extra time, Spain have run and sprinted more per 90 minutes, while only Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay (7.7) have won possession in the final third more frequently.
In contrast, Argentina have been outrun by all of their opponents at this World Cup – totalling 17km overall – but emerged victorious each time. Their less intense approach means that while they have played 60 more minutes than Spain, they should not have a big disadvantage when it comes to fitness in the final, having also rested many of their players in their final group stage win against Jordan.
Both sides have dominated possession in the majority of their games so far, although Spain had only 51% in their semi-final win against France and Argentina just 48% in their 3-0 group stage win over Algeria, so neither have to dominate the ball in order to win.
While Spain have whipped in crosses far more often overall, it is something Argentina have done more as the tournament has gone on. After only putting in 13 crosses in open play in their first four games, the World Cup holders have attempted 51 across their past three games, with Lautaro Martinez most recently scoring the winner from one against England.
Spain have the best aerial duel success rate at the World Cup, so should have an advantage in the air - though given the two finalists' overall duel success rates are very similar, that naturally means Argentina have been slightly more dominant on the ground.
Neither side have been huge dribblers at the tournament, with 25 teams attempting more per 90 minutes than Spain. Argentina have tried to dribble past their opponents even less often, although only Croatia (63%) have a better success rate when they have.
However, while the vast majority of Spain and Argentina's players have not dribbled very often at this World Cup, two most certainly have: Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi.
The two teams in the final have attempted 209 dribbles between them and their respective star forwards account for 90 of those (43%). Spain's teenage winger has attempted the most dribbles at this World Cup and only he and Brazil's Vinicius Jr (42) have run at opponents with the ball more than Argentina's talisman.
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Sources: BBC Sport
