Why Messi’s called Lionel and a fun fact on every player in the World Cup final

The Athletic provides a detailed preview of the 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, featuring a fun fact about each of the 52 players in both squads. The article includes trivia such as Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon being a chess addict who plays against teammates, David Raya's early career at Southport in England's fifth tier, and Marcos Llorente's controversial belief that suncream is unnecessary. The piece is authored by a team of nine writers and published on July 19-20, 2026, ahead of the final in New Jersey. It also links to related World Cup coverage including Spain's victory, final reactions, and Golden Boot updates.

First published Aug 4, 01:59 PM UTCUpdated Jul 19, 11:00 AM UTC1 reports · 1 sources

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Why Messi’s called Lionel and a fun fact on every player in the World Cup final

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Why Messi’s called Lionel and a fun fact on every player in the World Cup finalSoccer - The AthleticWesternJul 19, 11:00 AM UTC

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Lionel Messi David Raya Spain Argentina The Athletic New Jersey