Former England striker Robbie Fowler has tipped Spain to beat Argentina in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, praising La Roja’s tactical discipline and purposeful style of play….reports Asian Lite News Desk
Former England striker Robbie Fowler has backed Spain to lift the FIFA World Cup 2026 trophy, saying their purposeful style of play, tactical discipline and game management make them favourites ahead of the final against defending champions Argentina.
Speaking ahead of the title clash, Fowler said Spain have been the standout team of the tournament but expects Argentina’s resilience and fighting spirit to ensure a closely contested final.
“I’ve been massively impressed with Spain. They play football with a purpose—it’s not possession for possession’s sake. They move the ball through the lines quickly and everything they do has intent. Technically and tactically, I’d say Spain have the edge, but Argentina have got the blood, guts and fight to make it a real game. It’ll be a fascinating final because both teams have different strengths, and I think Argentina will definitely make a game out of it,” Fowler told Zee5.
The former Liverpool forward said Spain’s strength lies in their ability to turn possession into meaningful attacking opportunities rather than simply dominating the ball.
“What makes Spain special is that there’s always a purpose behind their possession. They don’t keep the ball just to inflate possession numbers. They break the press, move the ball forward quickly and attack through the lines. They’ve got clever players who find pockets of space, dictate games and know exactly when to accelerate the tempo. That’s what makes them such a dangerous team.”
Fowler believes Spain’s biggest challenge will be containing Lionel Messi, whose influence he said remains decisive despite Argentina’s collective strength.
“If you’re playing against Messi, it’s absolutely vital that you don’t give him space. If he gets space, he creates chances and goals. We saw against England that once he found those pockets of space, he completely changed the game. Spain have to be sensible defensively, close those channels quickly and stop Argentina from playing the game they want.”
Asked how Spain should approach defending against the Argentine captain, Fowler said flexibility would be key.
“You need both. There’ll be moments to press high and moments to stay compact because you can’t play one way for 90 minutes against a player like Messi. He’ll always have moments where he finds space, so Spain need a clear plan to deal with the pockets he likes to operate in. If they can limit those moments, they’ll go a long way towards stopping Argentina.”
While Messi remains Argentina’s biggest match-winner, Fowler also expects Spain’s teenage star Lamine Yamal to play a decisive role after an impressive semi-final performance.
“Messi is one of the greatest players the game has ever seen and you can never write him off in a World Cup final. But Lamine Yamal looked much sharper in the semi-final and seems to be peaking at exactly the right time. I wouldn’t be surprised if one of those two ends up deciding the biggest game in football.”
Although Argentina have impressed throughout the tournament, Fowler believes Spain have demonstrated the consistency and technical quality needed to become world champions.
“Argentina have been brilliant throughout the tournament and they were actually my pick before it started because they’re the reigning champions. But I’ve been massively impressed with Spain. They’ve shown the desire to win, excellent game management and outstanding technical ability. For me, Spain are the team to beat, and they’re my pick to lift the FIFA World Cup.”
