World Cup: Frank Leboeuf Predicts Spain Will Thrash Argentina 4-0 in Final

Former Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf has predicted that Spain will defeat Lionel Messi’s Argentina 4-0 in the final of the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Leboeuf believes Spain’s impressive defensive record and attacking quality will prove too much for the defending champions when both teams meet in Sunday’s title decider.

Spain have conceded only one goal while scoring 13 in seven matches during their run to the final. Although they opened their campaign with a goalless draw against tournament debutants Cape Verde, they quickly found their rhythm with victories over Saudi Arabia, Uruguay and Austria before progressing through the knockout rounds.

Midfielder Mikel Merino has played a key role in Spain’s success, scoring decisive goals from the bench against Portugal in the Round of 16 and Belgium in the quarter-finals.

La Roja then booked their place in the final with a convincing 2-0 victory over France in the semi-finals, reinforcing their status as one of the tournament’s strongest teams.

Argentina, meanwhile, have relied heavily on the brilliance of captain Lionel Messi, who has contributed eight goals and four assists in seven matches.

The South Americans have endured a dramatic route to the final, edging Cape Verde 3-2 in the Round of 32 before overturning a two-goal deficit to beat Egypt 3-2 in the Round of 16.

They also defeated a 10-man Switzerland 3-1 after extra time in the quarter-finals before staging another late comeback to overcome England 2-1 in the semi-finals, with goals in the 85th and 92nd minutes.

Despite Argentina’s resilience and Messi’s outstanding form, Leboeuf believes Spain possess too much quality across the pitch and expects them to dominate the final.

Speaking on ESPN UK’s YouTube channel, the former France international said, “I apologise, but I must predict a very large scoreline. I’m going with 4-0 in favour of Spain.

“I have respect for Argentina and could consider a 3-2 outcome, but I believe that if Spain score first, Argentina will have to push forward, which could lead to them being punished given the talent of the Spanish squad.”

Spain will be aiming to lift their second FIFA World Cup title after their historic triumph in South Africa in 2010, while Argentina are seeking to defend the trophy they won in Qatar in 2022 and secure a fourth world title after previous successes in 1978, 1986 and 2022.