The stadium does not empty quickly after a World Cup final. Long after the whistle, one set of supporters is still singing while the other sits motionless, staring at a scoreboard that will not change. On the grass, grown professionals fall to their knees, and somewhere in the stands a child who will remember this night for sixty years is being lifted onto a parent’s shoulders. That is the strange power of this single match: for ninety minutes, and sometimes an agonising thirty more, the hopes of entire nations rest on a handful of players and a leather ball. From Montevideo in 1930 to New Jersey in 2026, twenty-three of these afternoons and evenings have crowned a champion — and each one froze a different version of football in time. This page is the complete archive: every final, every score, every scorer and manager, the tactics that decided them and the controversies that followed, running from the first tournament right up to Spain’s 1–0 win over Argentina in the 2026 final.
The FIFA World Cup Final is the single match that decides the men’s world champion, played once every four years at the end of the sport’s biggest tournament. Since the first final in Uruguay in 1930, twenty-three have been contested, and only eight nations have ever lifted the trophy: Brazil, Germany, Italy, Argentina, France, Uruguay, England and Spain. Brazil lead the way with five titles.
The finals map the whole history of football tactics — from the attacking pyramids of the 1930s, through the Total Football of the 1970s, to the pressing and possession games of today. Three finals have been settled on penalties, two have produced a hat-trick, and the 2022 final, Argentina against France, is widely called the greatest of them all. The 2026 final ended Spain 1–0 Argentina after extra time, giving Spain a second world title.
Played and confirmed. Last updated 20 July 2026.
The match. The 2026 FIFA World Cup Final was played on 19 July 2026 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the showpiece of the first 48-team World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States. Spain beat Argentina 1–0 after extra time, Ferran Torres striking the only goal early in the second period of extra time. Argentina, reduced to ten men by a late red card, could not respond, and Lionel Messi was kept scoreless in what was expected to be his last World Cup match.
How they got there. Spain reached the final by beating France 2–0 in the semi-final in Dallas on 14 July, through a Mikel Oyarzabal penalty and a Pedro Porro strike. Argentina edged England 2–1 in Atlanta on 15 July, recovering from a goal down as Enzo Fernandez equalised and Lautaro Martinez headed a stoppage-time winner, both set up by Lionel Messi. Spain are led by Luis de la Fuente and Argentina by Lionel Scaloni — a former student of de la Fuente’s on a Spanish coaching course, giving the final an unusual mentor-versus-pupil subplot.
What it means. The win gave Spain their second world title, sixteen years after 2010, and made them the first nation to hold the men’s and women’s World Cups at the same time. Rodri was named the tournament’s best player and took the Golden Ball, while France’s Kylian Mbappé won the Golden Boot as top scorer, becoming the first player to win it at two World Cups. For Argentina and Messi, it was a subdued end to a golden era.
Format, rules and tactics, from the 1930 pyramid to the modern game.
A World Cup final is never just a match; it is a snapshot of what football believed about itself in a given decade. Follow the finals in sequence and you watch the whole sport change — its formations, its rules, even the way a drawn game is settled. Understanding that evolution is what turns a list of scores into a history.
The first World Cup in 1930 had just thirteen teams and no qualifying tournament; Uruguay simply invited the others. The event grew to 16 teams, then 24 in 1982, then 32 in 1998, and now expands to 48 teams in 2026. The 1950 tournament was unique in having no single final at all — it was decided by a final round-robin group, in which the deciding match, Uruguay against Brazil, became the de facto final. Every edition since 1934 has ended in a straight knockout final.
If a final is level after 90 minutes, extra time adds two 15-minute halves. For a spell in the late 1990s FIFA experimented with the golden goal, where the first goal in extra time ended the game instantly, though no World Cup final was ever decided by one. When extra time also ends level, the match goes to a penalty shootout, first used in a final in 1994. Three finals have now been settled from the spot: 1994, 2006 and 2022.
Rule changes have quietly reshaped finals. The back-pass rule of 1992 killed off time-wasting with the goalkeeper; three points for a win sharpened the group stages; and in 2018 the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) arrived at a World Cup, awarding the first VAR-assisted penalty in a final that same year. Substitution limits have crept upward too, from none in 1930 to five today, changing how managers control a final’s closing stages.
Modern finals sit inside a framework of official prizes. The adidas Golden Ball, for the tournament’s best player, has been awarded since 1982; the Golden Boot recognises the top scorer; the Best Young Player award was formalised in 2006; and the FIFA Fair Play Award honours the best-behaved team. Where this page names a “best player” before 1982, it is a widely accepted judgement, not an official Golden Ball, and is described as such.
Tactically, the finals trace a clear arc. The 1930s ran on the attacking 2-3-5 pyramid and Italy’s metodo; the 1950s and 60s brought Brazil’s 4-2-4 and England’s wingless 4-4-2; the 1970s exploded with Dutch Total Football, where every outfielder could play every role. From there the game swung toward organised defending and the counter-attack in the 1980s and 90s, before Spain’s tiki-taka and today’s high-pressing, positional play closed the circle back toward controlled attack. Each final is a data point in that long argument about how football should be played.
Every final at a glance, including Spain’s 2026 title win.
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Score | Host |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Spain | Argentina | 1–0 (a.e.t.) | USA/Canada/Mexico |
| 2022 | Argentina | France | 3–3 (4–2 pens) | Qatar |
| 2018 | France | Croatia | 4–2 | Russia |
| 2014 | Germany | Argentina | 1–0 (a.e.t.) | Brazil |
| 2010 | Spain | Netherlands | 1–0 (a.e.t.) | South Africa |
| 2006 | Italy | France | 1–1 (5–3 pens) | Germany |
| 2002 | Brazil | Germany | 2–0 | South Korea/Japan |
| 1998 | France | Brazil | 3–0 | France |
| 1994 | Brazil | Italy | 0–0 (3–2 pens) | USA |
| 1990 | West Germany | Argentina | 1–0 | Italy |
| 1986 | Argentina | West Germany | 3–2 | Mexico |
| 1982 | Italy | West Germany | 3–1 | Spain |
| 1978 | Argentina | Netherlands | 3–1 (a.e.t.) | Argentina |
| 1974 | West Germany | Netherlands | 2–1 | West Germany |
| 1970 | Brazil | Italy | 4–1 | Mexico |
| 1966 | England | West Germany | 4–2 (a.e.t.) | England |
| 1962 | Brazil | Czechoslovakia | 3–1 | Chile |
| 1958 | Brazil | Sweden | 5–2 | Sweden |
| 1954 | West Germany | Hungary | 3–2 | Switzerland |
| 1950 | Uruguay | Brazil | 2–1 | Brazil |
| 1938 | Italy | Hungary | 4–2 | France |
| 1934 | Italy | Czechoslovakia | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Italy |
| 1930 | Uruguay | Argentina | 4–2 | Uruguay |
Newest first, from the 2026 final back to the very first in Montevideo.
What happened. The first 48-team World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, ended with Spain beating Argentina 1–0 after extra time. Ferran Torres scored the only goal early in the second period of extra time; Argentina, down to ten men after a late red card, could not reply. Luis de la Fuente managed Spain, Lionel Scaloni Argentina. Rodri took the Golden Ball.
Tactical story. Spain smothered Argentina with relentless possession and pressing, piling up shots while limiting the holders to almost nothing, and kept Lionel Messi quiet in what was expected to be his final World Cup appearance. European champion had beaten world champion.
What happened. In a match many call the greatest final ever, Lionel Messi (two goals) and Ángel Di María put Argentina 2–0 and then 3–2 ahead, but Kylian Mbappé struck a hat-trick to force a 3–3 draw. Argentina won the shootout 4–2. Lionel Scaloni managed the winners; Didier Deschamps managed France.
Tactical story. Argentina controlled long stretches with Messi dropping deep and Di María tormenting the French right, before France’s late double substitution and Mbappé’s explosion nearly stole it. It was end-to-end drama rather than a tactical chess match.
What happened. France beat a tireless Croatia 4–2, with goals from Antoine Griezmann (penalty), Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappé, plus a Mario Mandžukić own goal; Ivan Perišić and Mandžukić replied. Didier Deschamps managed France, Zlatko Dalić Croatia. The tournament’s best player was Croatia’s Luka Modrić.
Tactical story. Croatia had more of the ball but France were lethal on the break, punishing with set pieces and pace. The final also delivered a first for the World Cup: a penalty awarded after a VAR review.
What happened. Germany beat Argentina 1–0 after extra time, Mario Götze volleying home in the 113th minute after coming off the bench. Joachim Löw managed Germany, Alejandro Sabella Argentina. Lionel Messi won the Golden Ball.
Tactical story. A cagey final between a well-drilled German system and an Argentina side that spurned clear chances through Gonzalo Higuaín and Messi. Germany’s squad depth, showcased in a 7–1 semi-final rout of hosts Brazil, finally told.
What happened. Andrés Iniesta scored in the 116th minute to give Spain a 1–0 win and their first world title. Vicente del Bosque managed Spain, Bert van Marwijk the Netherlands. Uruguay’s Diego Forlán won the Golden Ball.
Tactical story. Spain’s tiki-taka possession game met a Dutch team that chose to disrupt it with heavy fouling — Nigel de Jong’s chest-high kick the symbol of a bad-tempered night that produced 14 yellow cards and a red.
What happened. Zinedine Zidane chipped a cheeky Panenka penalty to put France ahead; Marco Materazzi headed Italy level. It finished 1–1 and Italy won 5–3 on penalties, David Trezeguet missing. Marcello Lippi managed Italy, Raymond Domenech France.
Tactical story. Two organised, defensively excellent teams cancelled each other out, with Fabio Cannavaro marshalling a superb Italian back line. The night’s defining image, though, was off the ball.
What happened. Ronaldo scored twice to beat Germany 2–0, the second after Oliver Kahn spilled a shot. Luiz Felipe Scolari managed Brazil, Rudi Völler Germany. Kahn, remarkably, still won the Golden Ball.
Tactical story. Brazil’s attacking trio of Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho overwhelmed opponents all tournament, while Germany had ridden Kahn’s brilliance to the final before his one costly error.
What happened. Zinedine Zidane headed two first-half goals and Emmanuel Petit added a third in stoppage time as France won 3–0 for their first world title. Aimé Jacquet managed France, Mário Zagallo Brazil. Ronaldo won the Golden Ball.
Tactical story. France combined a rock-solid defence with Zidane’s creativity, and dominated a strangely subdued Brazil built around a solid midfield block anchored by Didier Deschamps.
What happened. The first World Cup final decided by penalties finished 0–0 after extra time; Brazil won the shootout 3–2 when Roberto Baggio ballooned his kick over the bar. Carlos Alberto Parreira managed Brazil, Arrigo Sacchi Italy. Romário won the Golden Ball.
Tactical story. Played in fierce American heat, it was a wary, pragmatic final between two well-organised sides, with Brazil’s Romário and Bebeto contained by Italy’s defence until the lottery of the spot.
What happened. Andreas Brehme’s 85th-minute penalty settled a poor final 1–0 for West Germany. Franz Beckenbauer managed the Germans, Carlos Bilardo Argentina. Italy’s Salvatore Schillaci won both the Golden Ball and Golden Boot.
Tactical story. A rematch of 1986 turned into a grim, defensive struggle. Argentina, missing suspended players and reduced to ten men, then nine, sat deep and were undone by the late penalty.
What happened. Argentina led 2–0 through José Luis Brown and Jorge Valdano; West Germany hauled it back to 2–2 via Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Rudi Völler, before Jorge Burruchaga won it 3–2 from a sublime Diego Maradona pass. Carlos Bilardo managed Argentina, Beckenbauer West Germany.
Tactical story. This was Maradona’s tournament from start to finish — the Hand of God and the Goal of the Century against England in the quarter-final, then the decisive assist in the final. Germany man-marked him and still could not stop him.
What happened. Paolo Rossi, Marco Tardelli and Alessandro Altobelli scored as Italy beat West Germany 3–1; Paul Breitner replied. Enzo Bearzot managed Italy, Jupp Derwall West Germany. Rossi won the Golden Ball and Golden Boot.
Tactical story. Italy defended shrewdly and struck on the counter. Rossi, back from a two-year betting ban, caught fire at exactly the right moment, having earlier knocked out Brazil in a classic.
What happened. Mario Kempes scored twice and Daniel Bertoni once as hosts Argentina beat the Netherlands 3–1 after extra time; Dick Nanninga equalised in normal time. César Luis Menotti managed Argentina, Ernst Happel the Dutch. Kempes won the Golden Ball and Golden Boot.
Tactical story. A ticker-tape Monumental roared Argentina on against a Netherlands side that, without the retired Johan Cruyff, still reached a second straight final. Rob Rensenbrink hit a post in the last minute of normal time.
What happened. The Netherlands scored from the spot through Johan Neeskens before a German player had even touched the ball, but Paul Breitner (penalty) and Gerd Müller turned it around for a 2–1 West German win. Helmut Schön managed the hosts, Rinus Michels the Dutch. Johan Cruyff won the Golden Ball.
Tactical story. This was Total Football against German efficiency — Cruyff’s fluid Dutch masterpiece against a disciplined side led by Franz Beckenbauer’s libero role. Craft met control, and control won.
What happened. Pelé, Gérson, Jairzinho and captain Carlos Alberto scored in a 4–1 win over Italy, sealed by one of the greatest team goals ever. Mário Zagallo managed Brazil, Ferruccio Valcareggi Italy. Pelé was named the tournament’s best player.
Tactical story. Brazil’s side of Pelé, Tostão, Rivelino and Jairzinho is often called the finest team in history, a free-flowing attacking machine that overwhelmed Italy’s catenaccio in the heat of Mexico City.
What happened. Geoff Hurst scored a hat-trick and Martin Peters added one as England beat West Germany 4–2 after extra time; Helmut Haller and Wolfgang Weber replied. Alf Ramsey managed England, Helmut Schön West Germany. Bobby Charlton was voted the best player.
Tactical story. Ramsey’s “Wingless Wonders”, a compact 4-4-2 without traditional wingers, out-organised a strong German side on home soil in a tense, see-sawing final.
What happened. Czechoslovakia led through Josef Masopust, but Amarildo, Zito and Vavá replied for a 3–1 Brazil win and a second straight title. Aymoré Moreira managed Brazil, Rudolf Vytláčil Czechoslovakia. Garrincha was the tournament’s outstanding player.
Tactical story. With Pelé injured early in the tournament, the mercurial winger Garrincha carried Brazil almost single-handedly, and the champions’ 4-3-3 had enough quality elsewhere to finish the job.
What happened. Sweden led early through Nils Liedholm, but Brazil hit back with two from Vavá, two from a 17-year-old Pelé and one from Mario Zagallo to win 5–2. Vicente Feola managed Brazil, George Raynor Sweden. Didi was widely rated the tournament’s best player.
Tactical story. Brazil’s 4-2-4 was a tactical leap, giving them numbers in midfield and attack. A teenage Pelé and the dribbler Garrincha announced a new era of Brazilian football to the world.
What happened. Hungary’s Mighty Magyars raced 2–0 up through Ferenc Puskás and Zoltán Czibor, but West Germany stormed back to win 3–2, Helmut Rahn scoring the 84th-minute winner. Sepp Herberger managed the Germans, Gusztav Sebes Hungary. Sándor Kocsis was top scorer with 11.
Tactical story. On a rain-soaked pitch, West Germany’s new screw-in studs gave them grip, and a fresher, well-drilled side ran down the tournament favourites in the “Miracle of Bern”.
What happened. In the only World Cup with no formal final, the title came down to the last group match. Brazil led through Friaça, but Juan Alberto Schiaffino and Alcides Ghiggia scored to give Uruguay a 2–1 win. Juan López managed Uruguay, Flávio Costa Brazil. Ademir was top scorer with 8.
Tactical story. Brazil needed only a draw and attacked freely; Uruguay stayed composed and struck twice, Ghiggia beating the goalkeeper at his near post to silence the stadium.
What happened. Gino Colaussi and Silvio Piola scored twice each as Italy beat Hungary 4–2 to retain the World Cup; Pal Titkos and Gyorgy Sárosi replied. Vittorio Pozzo managed Italy. Brazil’s Leônidas was top scorer with 7.
Tactical story. Pozzo’s metodo once more balanced defence and attack, with Piola’s finishing decisive against a technically gifted Hungarian side.
What happened. Czechoslovakia led late through Antonín Puč, but Raimundo Orsi equalised and Angelo Schiavio won it in extra time for a 2–1 Italy victory. Vittorio Pozzo managed the hosts, Karel Petrů Czechoslovakia. Oldřich Nejedlý was top scorer with 5.
Tactical story. The first final decided in extra time was a tight, physical affair, with Italy’s organised metodo edging a skilful Czechoslovak team.
What happened. In the first World Cup final, hosts Uruguay came from 2–1 down at half-time to beat Argentina 4–2, with goals from Pablo Dorado, Pedro Cea, Santos Iriarte and Héctor Castro. Alberto Suppici managed Uruguay. Argentina’s Guillermo Stábile was the tournament’s top scorer with 8.
Tactical story. Both sides used the attacking 2-3-5 pyramid of the era. So intense was the rivalry that a different match ball was used in each half, one supplied by each nation.
For all the drama they produce, penalty shootouts are still rare in finals: only three of the twenty-three finals — 1994, 2006 and 2022 — have been decided from the spot. The overwhelming majority of champions were crowned in open play, and several finals, the 2026 showpiece among them, were settled in the extra half-hour before a shootout was ever needed. The knockout drama we associate with the World Cup lives far more in the semi-finals and earlier rounds than on the biggest night of all.
The sequence a level final follows, from full-time to the shootout.
Every final starts with two 45-minute halves. If one team leads at full time, it is champion. Fourteen of the 22 finals, including 4–1 in 1970 and 3–0 in 1998, were settled inside normal time.
If the score is level after 90 minutes, two 15-minute halves of extra time follow. Winners including West Germany in 1966, Argentina in 1978 and Spain in 2010 all struck in this period.
Between 1998 and 2002 an extra-time goal would have ended the match instantly under the golden goal rule. It applied at those World Cups but no final was ever decided by one, and the rule was later scrapped.
If extra time also ends level, five penalties per side decide it, then sudden death. Brazil (1994), Italy (2006) and Argentina (2022) all won finals this way, each a defining moment of nerve.
The winning captain lifts the FIFA World Cup Trophy, and individual prizes follow: the Golden Ball for the best player, the Golden Boot for the top scorer, and the Best Young Player award.
The headline numbers of 22 finals, all official FIFA records.
| Record | Holder / Detail |
|---|---|
| Most titles | Brazil — 5 (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002) |
| Most final appearances | Germany — 8 (4 won, 4 lost) |
| Highest-scoring final | 1958: Brazil 5–2 Sweden (7 goals) |
| Largest winning margin | 3 goals: 1958 (5–2), 1970 (4–1), 1998 (3–0) |
| Highest attendance | 1950: Maracanã, 173,850 (official) |
| Finals decided on penalties | 3: 1994, 2006, 2022 |
| Hat-trick in a final | Geoff Hurst (1966), Kylian Mbappe (2022) |
| Fastest goal in a final | Johan Neeskens, 1974 (inside 2 minutes) |
| Most goals in one tournament | Just Fontaine, 13 (1958) |
| All-time top World Cup scorer | Miroslav Klose, 16 (2002–2014) |
| Only keeper to win the Golden Ball | Oliver Kahn (2002) |
| Only two-time World Cup-winning manager | Vittorio Pozzo (1934, 1938) |
Won and lost totals cover finals played through 2022; 2026 is not yet counted.
| Nation | Titles | Finals reached | Winning years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 5 | 7 | 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002 |
| Germany / West Germany | 4 | 8 | 1954, 1974, 1990, 2014 |
| Italy | 4 | 6 | 1934, 1938, 1982, 2006 |
| Argentina | 3 | 7 | 1978, 1986, 2022 |
| France | 2 | 4 | 1998, 2018 |
| Uruguay | 2 | 2 | 1930, 1950 |
| Spain | 2 | 2 | 2010, 2026 |
| England | 1 | 1 | 1966 |
| Netherlands | 0 | 3 | Runners-up 1974, 1978, 2010 |
Through 2022, the World Cup has been an argument between two continents. Europe has produced 13 champions (Italy 4, Germany 4, France 2, Spain 2, England 1) and South America 10 (Brazil 5, Argentina 3, Uruguay 2). No nation from Africa, Asia, North America or Oceania has yet reached a World Cup final — a barrier the expanded 2026 tournament is designed, in part, to challenge over time.
1970, 1986 and 2022 judged on significance and style. This is analysis, and the criteria are stated.
| Aspect | 1970 Brazil 4–1 Italy | 1986 Argentina 3–2 W. Germany | 2022 Argentina 3–3 France (pens) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defining star | Pele | Maradona | Messi |
| Style of play | Total attacking flair | One genius against a system | End-to-end, momentum swings |
| Iconic moment | Carlos Alberto team goal | Burruchaga winner, Maradona assist | Mbappe hat-trick, Messi double |
| Drama | Commanding, not close | Comeback and late winner | Highest, decided on penalties |
| Historical weight | Kept Jules Rimet; greatest team | Crowned football’s great individual | Completed the Messi story |
Criteria used: quality of football, individual brilliance, competitiveness, iconic moments and lasting historical significance. Reasonable fans weigh these differently, which is exactly why the “greatest final” debate never ends.
Read end to end, the finals show that a World Cup is rarely won by the most beautiful team alone. Brazil in 1970 and the Netherlands in 1974 sit at opposite ends of that truth — one a flawless champion, the other the best team never to win. Champions tend to marry quality with resilience, a big-game temperament and, often, a single decisive figure. Every final reflects the strongest side of its era, but also the tactical fashion, the rules and the nerve required to win the one match that counts most.
The competitions, trophies and figures that define the finals.
The men’s world championship, held every four years since 1930 (bar 1942 and 1946). Its final is the sport’s biggest single match, watched by more than a billion people and contested by only the two best teams of the tournament.
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association, founded in 1904, organises the World Cup and keeps its official records. It expanded the tournament to 48 teams for 2026 and oversees the rules that shape every final.
The original prize, named after FIFA’s president, awarded from 1930 to 1970. Brazil kept it permanently after their third win in 1970; the current FIFA World Cup Trophy has been used since 1974.
The two figures most associated with World Cup greatness: Pele won three titles (1958, 1962, 1970), the only player to do so, while Diego Maradona dragged Argentina to the 1986 crown almost single-handedly.
The defining stars of the modern final. Messi won the Golden Ball in 2014 and 2022, finally lifting the trophy in Qatar; Mbappe scored in the 2018 and 2022 finals, including a hat-trick, more than any other player.
The Golden Ball, awarded since 1982, honours the tournament’s best player; the Golden Boot goes to its top scorer. Oliver Kahn is the only goalkeeper to win the Golden Ball, in 2002.
What is confirmed: the 2026 World Cup is the first with 48 teams and three host nations, ending in New Jersey on 19 July 2026, with the tournament set to return to a 48-team format and share hosting again in future editions. Sports science, goal-line technology and VAR will keep refining how finals are officiated and prepared for. As analysis rather than prediction, the open questions are whether the expanded format dilutes or enriches the road to the final, and whether a nation from outside Europe and South America can finally break through — but no future champion is forecast here.
Related histories from AiTimeline.
Forty answers on World Cup finals, champions, records and the 2026 showpiece.
Line up the twenty-two finals and no two look alike. The 1930 opener used a different ball in each half; the 1950 title was settled not by a final at all but by a hushed Maracana; the 1974 showpiece pitted a footballing philosophy against a machine; the 2022 classic swung so violently that it seemed to contain three finals in one. Each reflects the football philosophy of its era, from attacking pyramids to Total Football to the pressing game, and each carries the cultural weight of its moment — a post-war miracle in Bern, a nation’s catharsis in Buenos Aires, a continent’s pride in Johannesburg.
What unites them is not a style but a stake. For one afternoon, the sport’s entire meaning narrows to a single result, and the players who deliver it — Pele at 17, Hurst with his contested hat-trick, Zidane with his headers and then his headbutt, Iniesta in the 116th minute, Messi at the very end of a long chase — are fixed in memory forever. Champions change, tactics change, even the rules change, but the World Cup final remains the one match where a whole nation holds its breath together.
That is why this page is built as a living archive rather than a finished list. When Spain and Argentina walk out in New Jersey, a twenty-third story will begin, and it will be recorded here the same way as the others: by what actually happens on the pitch, once the match is played. Until then, the history stands complete through 2022 — a reminder that the greatest thing about the next final is that nobody yet knows how it ends.