The best offense. The best defense.

The World Cup final is set, and fittingly, a clash of styles awaits. Lionel Messi — the most prolific goalscorer in the tournament's history — and defending champion Argentina will take on Spain's defensive juggernaut on Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey, to decide the title.

Spain beat France in one semifinal on Tuesday; Argentina, the comeback kings of this tournament, rallied to beat England 2-1 in the other semifinal on Wednesday.

Argentina is seeking its fourth title and looking to become the first back-to-back World Cup champions since Brazil pulled off the feat in 1958 and 1962. Spain is looking for its second title, after winning in 2010.

Argentina leads the tournament in goals scored — 19.

Spain leads the tournament in fewest goals allowed — one.

Something will have to give on Sunday, when the biggest World Cup ever — a 48-team, 104-match extravaganza spread out over the U.S., Canada and Mexico — comes to an end.

It's not Finalissima. It's going to be better.

South American champion Argentina and European champion Spain were supposed to meet in Doha, Qatar, back in late March in Finalissima, a showdown between the teams that are led by Messi and Lamine Yamal in a prequel of the World Cup.

That game never happened. Security became an issue because of unrest in the Middle East, with Iran intensifying its attacks on neighboring countries at that time in retaliation to the aerial attacks by United States and Israel in a war that is still ongoing. The game was called off.

So, instead of playing at Lusail Stadium, the site of the epic 2022 World Cup final where Messi and Argentina won on penalty kicks over France and Kylian Mbappé, they'll play just outside of New York in soccer's biggest game.

It'll be a showdown of soccer's present versus soccer's future, not to mention a showdown of the teams that held the top two spots in FIFA's world rankings entering the World Cup — Argentina at No. 1, Spain at No. 2.

There was a famous photo taken in 2007 when Messi was part of a UNICEF program and posed with a baby.

Yamal was that baby. Like Messi (who now plays for Inter Miami), Yamal would become a left-footed star for Spanish club Barcelona. It is the most improbable of stories: from a photo together two decades ago, the two stars are set to be together again to end this year's World Cup.

A picture-perfect finish.

How Spain got here

— Record: Six wins, one draw, zero losses.

— Goals for: 13.

— Goals against: 1.

— Group stage: drew with Cape Verde 0-0, beat Saudi Arabia 4-0, beat Uruguay 1-0.

— Knockout stage: beat Austria 3-0, beat Portugal 1-0, beat Belgium 2-1, beat France 2-0.

How Argentina got here

Record: Seven wins, zero draws, zero losses.

Goals for: 19.

Goals against: 7.

Group stage: beat Algeria 3-0, beat Austria 2-0, beat Jordan 3-1.

Knockout stage: beat Cape Verde 3-2, beat Egypt 3-2, beat Switzerland 3-1, beat England 2-1.

Streaking

Both teams enter the final with impressive unbeaten streaks.

— Spain is carrying a 37-match unbeaten streak across all competitions and friendlies into the final, having won 28 of those matches with nine draws in that span. Its last loss was 1-0 to Colombia in March 2024.

— Argentina is unbeaten in its last 13 World Cup matches, with 11 victories and two draws since falling to Saudi Arabia to open group play at the 2022 tournament.

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See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

India and England begin a three-match One-Day International series on Tuesday at Edgbaston as two of cricket’s strongest batting lineups meet in Birmingham.

How to Watch India vs England

• When: Tuesday, July 14, 2026
• Time: 5:50 AM ET
• TV Channel: Willow Sports, Willow TV
• Live Stream: Fubo (try for free)

India enters the 50-over series with Shubman Gill serving as captain and veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli returning to strengthen the top order. Kohli is set to make his 300th ODI appearance, while Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, and Arshdeep Singh give India several proven options with the ball. Harshit Rana will miss the series because of a hamstring injury, with Prince Yadav replacing him in the squad.

England will be led by Harry Brook and brings an experienced group featuring Joe Root, Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer, Ben Duckett, and Adil Rashid. The hosts will look to carry their recent white-ball momentum into the longer format, while India will try to establish control early in a series that continues Thursday in Cardiff and concludes Sunday at Lord’s.

This is a great cricket matchup that you will not want to miss. Make sure to tune in and catch all the action.

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LONDON (AP) — Associated Press photographers shot thousands of images during the two-week Wimbledon tennis championships in London.

The photographers covering the tournament were asked to select a few of their favorites. Here’s a look at some of those exceptional moments.

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This is a photo gallery curated by AP photographers Brian Inganga, Kin Cheung, Kirsty Wigglesworth, Maja Smiejkowska, and photo editor Eloy Martin.

Should the reports that emerged in recent days prove accurate, Oscar Piastri would become Red Bull's designated successor to Max Verstappen. However, the Formula 1 grid is packed with other talented and experienced drivers who could also fit the bill.

The past week has been dominated by a flurry of driver market speculation, even though nothing has been announced yet.
The four-time world champion has been heavily linked with a sensational move to McLaren as Lando Norris' potential new teammate, a scenario that would almost certainly force Piastri to look elsewhere. In that case, Red Bull would appear to be the most logical destination, completing what would be one of the most remarkable driver swaps in modern Formula 1 history.

The 2026 Formula 1 grid is undoubtedly one of the strongest in the sport's history in terms of overall talent, featuring multiple world champions in the latter stages of their careers, drivers at their peak, and a new generation of rising stars, many of whom are already shaping both the present and the future of Formula 1.

Fernando Alonso: The safe pair of hands

Approaching his 45th birthday in just over two weeks, Alonso still has the hunger of a rookie. The two-time world champion was briefly linked with a move to Red Bull a few years ago, but ultimately remained committed to Aston Martin. So far, however, that decision has failed to deliver the expected results, with the exception of the impressive 2023 campaign, despite the high hopes surrounding the team's Adrian Newey-led 2026 project.

The Spaniard has yet to make a decision on his future, and with time no longer on his side, it is becoming increasingly clear that the final chapter of his Formula 1 career is approaching. As things stand, his long-awaited dream of securing a third world title looks more like a distant hope than a realistic target. For Red Bull, signing a driver of Alonso's calibre would help soften the blow of losing someone like Verstappen, while also giving the two-time world champion one final opportunity to chase the success that has eluded him for so long.

Photo: Race Pictures

Carlos Sainz: The Red Bull move that never happened

Having begun his Formula 1 career through Red Bull's junior programme, the Spaniard ultimately took a different path from the one usually followed by the academy's top prospects. His future with the team changed in 2016, when Red Bull opted to promote Verstappen in his place following Daniil Kvyat's demotion.

Since then, Sainz has raced for a wide range of teams, from midfield outfits such as Renault and Williams to front-running giants like McLaren and Ferrari. At every stop, he has consistently made a positive impact, often leaving his teams in a stronger position than when he joined.

Now 31, the Madrid-born driver is firmly in the prime of his career and knows the Williams project could cost him valuable years if James Vowles and his team fail to unlock its potential after a season that has so far proved difficult. If Red Bull were looking for a proven, experienced driver with an established track record at top teams, there are few stronger candidates than him.

Arvid Lindblad: The next Max Verstappen?

The riskiest option of the three, but arguably the one with the highest long-term upside. The young British driver earned a reputation throughout the junior categories for his exceptional raw speed, although it was often accompanied by inconsistency and costly mistakes.

His rookie Formula 1 campaign, however, has been close to flawless. Lindblad has shown impressive pace on almost every weekend, made very few errors and displayed a level of composure far beyond his years. While comparisons across generations are never entirely fair, if Red Bull were looking for the closest thing to a new Verstappen, few candidates would fit the profile better.

Photo: Race Pictures