All the biggest talking points and stats from the first 45 minutes of a goalless World Cup final in New Jersey in the US.
Published On 19 Jul 2026
After a star-studded tournament ceremony and the logistical delays caused by the arrival of US President Donald Trump, the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina ended in a goalless scoreline at half-time.
The match at the New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday has been a cagey affair, with Spain enjoying greater possession and Argentina looking to make the game into a scrap.
The final kicked off six minutes late in New Jersey following a pre-match show that included singer Robbie Williams and actor Tom Cruise.
Once the football actually began, Spain looked to control the ball and force Argentina to chase the game. The South American giants were mostly restricted to their own half and looked to make it a physical battle.
Here are some of the biggest talking points from the first half.
A cagey affair in New Jersey
It all started so promisingly, with Lamine Yamal forcing a save from Emi Martinez after just five minutes. The teenager shot from a tight angle inside the box following some brilliant link-up play with Dani Olmo.
Since then, chances have been at a premium, with just three shots at goal in the entire first half, all by La Roja, with Argentina yet to register an effort.
Spain striker Mikel Oyarzabal tested Martinez on 39 minutes, but his shot from just outside the area was easily saved by the Argentine keeper. Marc Cucurella also dragged an effort wide late on.
While Spain saw more of the ball, Argentina looked to get stuck in and make it a scrappy final. So far, the defending champions’ game plan has worked.
Referee keeps his cards in his pockets
Slovenian official Slavko Vincic declined to brandish a yellow card until the 40th minute, despite some hefty challenges in the first half.
Spain were furious when the referee didn’t penalise Alexis Mac Allister after a late challenge on Olmo just 15 minutes into the final.
The Argentine midfielder dived in, missing the ball entirely as he wiped Olmo out. The Spanish bench erupted, but the referee decided not to book the Liverpool man.
The first yellow card was eventually shown when Lisandro Martinez dragged Oyarzabal down from behind.
Martinez heads off injured
Argentina suffered a late blow in the first half as key defender Lisandro Martinez was forced off with an injury.
Martinez has played a crucial role at the heart of defence for Argentina in this tournament, but they will now have to cope without him for the second half of the final.
Veteran defender Nicolas Otamendi is now tasked with keeping the likes of Yamal and Oyarzabal quiet.
What were the head-to-head stats in the first half of the Spain-Argentina final?
Spain saw a lot more of the ball and enjoyed 64.6 percent possession. They also had three shots at goal, compared to none for Argentina.
The South Americans committed two more fouls than their opponents and picked up one yellow card.
Spain have been awarded two corners so far, whilst Argentina have had none.
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