East Rutherford, New Jersey — On the eve of one of the most anticipated World Cup finals in modern history, the buzz inside MetLife Stadium had less to do with celebrity opening remarks and far more to do with the thousands of passionate fans who crossed continents and emptied their savings to be there. When Hollywood star Tom Cruise stepped out to deliver a pre-match speech framing soccer as a unifying global force, his words were completely drowned out by the roar of tens of thousands of Argentine and Spanish supporters. Their joyful singing, rhythmic clapping, and thunderous drum beats drowned out every syllable, a fitting reminder that the soul of the World Cup belongs not to celebrity guests, but to the fans who show up for their teams.
For most of these supporters, the draw was clear: this was almost certainly Lionel Messi’s final appearance on the World Cup stage, and no price tag was too high to share in what could be the final chapter of the greatest career in modern soccer. “Money comes back,” explained Manuel Lopez Maccotta, an Argentine fan who traveled all the way from Buenos Aires to New Jersey for the match. “This is once in a lifetime. You’re seeing the best player in the world in his last World Cup. Money is worthless compared to this.”
Maccotta, a 28-year-old software company founder, paid nearly $10,000 alone for his final match ticket, a sum that made the stadium’s widely noted $18 beer look like a trivial expense in comparison. His travel partner, Santiago Burcaco, a real estate professional, got a relative bargain at $5,000 for his seat — a price he locked in when he purchased his ticket before Argentina even secured its spot in the final. In total, Maccotta estimates he spent roughly $35,000 to follow the Argentina national team through the entirety of the World Cup tournament, a journey that already included a standout highlight in Argentina’s quarterfinal win over England. His trip to New Jersey almost fell apart entirely: a 14-hour delay from Miami caused by severe thunderstorms left him landing at JFK Airport just after 4:50 a.m. on match day, but he still made it to the stadium in time for kickoff. “It’s the last Messi World Cup,” he said. “My country. Hopefully we go back-to-back. We have to share the feeling. It’s once in a lifetime.”
This final carries historic stakes for both sides. Argentina enters the match vying to become the first men’s national team to win back-to-back World Cup titles since Pele led Brazil to victories in 1958 and 1962. For Messi, a win would cap what he has publicly signaled is his final World Cup run with a fairy-tale ending, cementing his legacy as the greatest player of all generation. His iconic No. 10 jersey could be spotted on thousands of fans throughout the stadium, a visible tribute to the loyalty and passion he has inspired in supporters across the globe.
For Spain, the match offers a chance to claim the country’s second World Cup title following its 2010 victory, and solidify its reputation as the dominant global men’s soccer power of the current era. Spanish supporters filled their sections of the stadium with bright red-and-yellow afro wigs printed with the national flag, many only removing the headpieces to pour cool water over their heads to beat the unseasonably warm sunny day.
Curro Sanchez, a 42-year-old fan from Madrid, paid $8,000 for his ticket, even after convincing only one friend to join him on the trip after 10 other loved ones turned him down over the high cost and scheduling conflicts. He even had a high-stakes argument with his wife over the trip before she ultimately agreed to let him go. “Had a big, big, big fight with my wife,” Sanchez said. “At the end of the day, she understood.” Sanchez landed in New York just one day before the match and plans to stay in Manhattan through Thursday to soak in the once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Ticket prices for the final skyrocketed in the weeks leading up to the match, climbing as high as five figures before dipping slightly in the hours before kickoff, still well out of reach for all but the most well-resourced fans. On FIFA’s official resale platform, prices dropped as low as $18? No, as low as $2,334.50 in the hours before the match. That still left base-priced tickets available through FIFA on the morning of the match for $10,990. While some fans scrimped and saved for months to afford their spots, the majority of fans inside MetLife Stadium had the financial means to make the transcontinental trip: Maccotta and Burcaco are a case in point, running successful businesses in their home country.
In the lead-up to kickoff, even celebrity sightings added to the buzz: Modern Family star Sofía Vergara drew a crowd of fans waiting for photos in one stadium concourse just 45 minutes before the opening kickoff. Organizers handed out “Join The Celebration” signs to fans instructing them to “clap along using your clapper!” when the music started, a guide that fans joked was just as useless as asking Messi to give basic soccer lessons. Fans from both nations had been hyped up from the moment they joined long security lines to enter the stadium, singing and chanting nonstop in their native languages, setting a high bar for scheduled halftime performers including Madonna and Shakira. Notably, the presence of former U.S. President Donald Trump in attendance did not appear to slow security processing for ordinary fans.
The festive energy that filled MetLife Stadium on match day had already spilled out into New York City over the weekend, as thousands of Argentine and Spanish fans packed Times Square, breaking out into spontaneous chants, songs, and street celebrations — the same joyful revelry that has defined host city atmospheres across the North American World Cup. Many fans credit Messi’s legacy for the all-consuming passion and unwavering loyalty of Argentina’s global fanbase, while Spain’s supporters have proven every bit as dedicated to their side’s push for a second world title.