Spain’s final training session before the World Cup final was cancelled on Saturday after violent thunderstorms swept across New York and New Jersey, triggering the strict US safety protocol that halts all outdoor sporting activity when lightning is detected within an eight-mile radius. The squad, led by Luis de la Fuente, had been due to take to the pitch at the Melanie Lane Training Ground in New Jersey, but the session was first suspended and then definitively called off as the electrical storm intensified. The Spanish federation confirmed that the players were restricted to an indoor warm-up, a disruption that left the European champions without a final on-field rehearsal. Five miles away in Morristown, Argentina’s preparations were also delayed, but Lionel Scaloni’s side eventually took to the field after a 45-minute pause, completing their planned session under clearing skies.

The contrasting fortunes reflected the capriciousness of a region that has endured a week of environmental strain. Earlier, officials had issued air quality alerts as smoke from Canadian wildfires blanketed the area, forcing both teams to weigh the risks of outdoor training. The rain, however, helped disperse the haze, and forecasters at AccuWeather predicted markedly improved conditions for Sunday’s final at MetLife Stadium, where a crowd of over 80,000 is expected. Viewed from Madrid, the cancellation was a logistical setback for a Spanish side that had been fine-tuning a possession-based system which carried them past France 2-0 in the semi-final. In Buenos Aires, the mood was more sanguine: Argentina’s ability to train, albeit late, preserved the rhythm of a team that staged a late comeback to beat England 2-1 and now seeks to become only the third nation to retain the trophy, after Brazil in 1962.

The final pits two contrasting footballing philosophies against each other. Spain, champions in 2010, have built their campaign on defensive solidity and midfield control, with Rodri and Fabián Ruiz anchoring a side that conceded only once in the knockout stage. Argentina, the defending champions, have relied on the enduring genius of Lionel Messi and the industry of Julián Álvarez, while Scaloni has tinkered with a 4-4-2 shape that bolsters the midfield. Selection doubts persist: at right-back, Nahuel Molina and Gonzalo Montiel are vying for a starting berth, and the fourth midfield slot remains contested between Rodrigo De Paul, Giuliano Simeone and Nicolás González. Spain’s likely lineup, by contrast, appears settled, with Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal expected to lead the attack.

The only previous World Cup meeting between the two nations came in the 1966 group stage, when Argentina won 2-1. That distant memory now feeds the narrative of a final that will define legacies. For Spain, a second world title would confirm a golden generation’s resurgence; for Argentina, back-to-back triumphs would elevate Messi’s era into the pantheon of the sport’s greatest dynasties. The storms have passed, and the stage is set for a contest that will be decided not by the weather, but by which side best adapts to the pressure of a single afternoon.