Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart has backed Argentina to defy the odds and defeat Spain in the World Cup final on Sunday night, predicting that Lionel Messi will lift the trophy once again. Speaking on The Rest Is Football, Hart highlighted Argentina's resilience and Messi's composure as key factors.
Spain enters as favourites after dominant semi-final
Spain secured their place in the final with a commanding 2-0 victory over France in the semi-finals, a performance that has made them the bookmakers' favourites. Prior to that, Spain had progressed through the knockout stages with narrow wins over Portugal and Belgium, but their display against France elevated expectations. Argentina, meanwhile, have taken a more dramatic route, winning all four knockout matches—against Cape Verde, Egypt, Switzerland, and England—either in extra time or in the dying minutes of regulation time.
Hart praises Messi's calmness under pressure
Hart, a former Manchester City star, expressed excitement about the clash between Spain's "perfect football" and Argentina's resilience. "It's hard to put the other night behind us and it's hard to not feel anything towards Argentina, but if I'm to completely numb myself as a neutral, I'm so excited for this game and I'm so excited to see how Argentina can ruin the perfect football of Spain," Hart said. He added: "Lionel Messi is phenomenal, the level he's at. To see what he did the other night in the cauldron, when everyone else was emotional. The guy's heartrate didn't get above 60. He was just super calm. He won't take offence to Spain having the ball. I'm really excited to see it." Hart confirmed his pick: "I'm going to go with Argentina, I think there's something special about them."
Brazil legend Ronaldo disagrees, backs Spain to win easily
Brazil legend Ronaldo Nazário offered a contrasting view, predicting a comfortable victory for Spain. "I think Spain wins and the game will be easy," Ronaldo said on his official TikTok account. He credited Spain's automated style of play, rooted in the philosophy of Pep Guardiola at Barcelona from 2006-2007. "I think Spain wins easy with football played in an extraordinary way. Their DNA is not just the football played in this World Cup, they have been doing this for a long time," Ronaldo said. He doubted Argentina's ability to compete: "I don't believe Argentina has the strength to become a game of a 1-0, 2-0 because Spain will have possession of the ball all of the time." However, he acknowledged Argentina's character: "What is still an absolute success for Argentina for this World Cup is the way they turned games on several occasions, Messi, one more time makes one more beautiful story at a World Cup."
Sutton predicts a close match but backs Spain
BBC pundit Chris Sutton offered a middle ground, predicting Spain to win narrowly. "The first goal is going to be absolutely crucial and maybe it will be another magic Messi moment that gives his team the lead, and some hope," Sutton told the BBC. "But, whatever happens, Spain will dominate the ball – they just will. For different reasons, I love watching both teams play. Argentina will bring chaos but Spain will bring calm… and calmness will win the day."
