What happened in the first half of the Spain vs Argentina World Cup final?

What the report says

Al Jazeera reported that Spain and Argentina reached half-time scoreless in the World Cup final at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday, July 19, 2026. The match began six minutes later than scheduled after a pre-game ceremony featuring Robbie Williams and Tom Cruise, with the outlet also citing logistical delays linked to the arrival of US President Donald Trump.

According to the report, Spain controlled much of the opening period while Argentina tried to disrupt the rhythm and make the game more physical. Lamine Yamal created the first notable moment after five minutes, forcing Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez into a save from a tight angle following combination play with Dani Olmo. Mikel Oyarzabal also had an effort saved in the 39th minute, while Marc Cucurella missed wide late in the half.

The first-half numbers underlined Spain’s territorial advantage: Al Jazeera said La Roja had 64.6 percent possession, three shots to Argentina’s none, and two corners while Argentina had none. Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic did not issue a booking until the 40th minute, despite Spanish complaints over an earlier Alexis Mac Allister challenge on Olmo. Lisandro Martinez received the first yellow card for pulling down Oyarzabal from behind.

Argentina then suffered a setback when Lisandro Martinez went off injured before the interval, leaving veteran Nicolas Otamendi to help manage Spain’s attacking threat in the second half. The goalless opening kept the final finely balanced, with Spain’s control yet to produce a breakthrough and defending champions Argentina still searching for their first attempt on goal.