Spain’s ruthless control of the 2026 World Cup final forced Argentina into the record books for all the wrong reasons, with Lionel Messi’s side failing to score a shot in the opening 45 minutes of Sunday’s title clash.At halftime at MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey, the score was still 0-0, but the statistics painted a picture of Spain’s complete dominance. According to Opta data, both teams managed just three shots in total in the first half, the fewest shots in the first half of a FIFA World Cup final since detailed records began in 1966.What’s more noteworthy is that Argentina did not take a shot before halftime. This was the first time since 1966 that Argentina did not take a shot in the first half of a World Cup game.This astonishing statistic highlighted Spain’s tactical superiority, although they failed to find a breakthrough before half-time.
Spain dominated possession but failed to make a difference
As they did throughout the game, Spain dictated the tempo of the game through their trademark possession football.The European champions made roughly twice as many passes as Argentina in the first half, keeping Lionel Scaloni’s side on the back foot for long stretches and denying Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez any meaningful attacking chances.Although Spain had the lion’s share of possession in the early stages and had all three shots on goal, they were unable to break through Argentina’s resolute defense, resulting in a goalless draw at halftime.Argentina were also forced to make an unexpected substitution late in the first half, with Lisandro Martinez appearing to be injured and being replaced by veteran defender Nicolas Otamendi.
Another 0-goal first half in the history of a World Cup final
The draw added a new chapter to World Cup history.This is the ninth World Cup final without a goal in the half. The previous finals were 1934, 1950, 1982, 1990, 1994, 2002, 2010 and 2014.Defending champion Argentina enters the final aiming to win its fourth World Cup title and become the first country to successfully defend the title since Brazil in 1962.Meanwhile, Spain is seeking to win its second World Cup title after winning in South Africa in 2010, and become the first country to win both the men’s and women’s World Cup titles.The final also kicked off the largest World Cup in history. The expanded tournament featured 48 teams, a record 104 games played in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and more than 300 goals were scored leading up to the finals.
