And Argentina does it again. In crunch time against England, they found a way, scoring late to punch their ticket to the World Cup Final. The story continues, and it sets up the perfect ending for soccer's greatest living legend: Lionel Messi, one more time, going out on top with another World Cup.

The World Cup Final concludes after five weeks, going from 48 teams down to the final two at MetLife on Sunday. Elsewhere, The Open Championship tees off Thursday through Sunday, the final major of the golf season, with an open field and a hometown story worth tuning in for.

Here's your weekend preview starting with what matters most.

The stakes: It all comes down to this: five weeks, 48 teams, 16 host cities, one game at MetLife. Spain and Argentina, playing for the sport's biggest prize. Spain are no strangers to this stage, having won it all in 2010. Argentina are the defending champions, winning the last World Cup in a classic against France in 2022.

But this one is about Lionel Messi. At 39, this is almost certainly his final World Cup, and he's all too familiar with Spain after 17 seasons at FC Barcelona. Now he faces the country he called home for nearly two decades with a title on the line. Spain come in as the favorite, but Argentina have the defending title and the best player alive chasing one last trophy.

What to watch for: Spain's defense against Argentina's late game heroics. The story of Spain's tournament has been the back line, they've conceded just one goal the entire competition, and they backed it up by dismantling France, the team many viewed as the best in the field, in the semifinal. Their young superstar Lamine Yamal has been decent, but we're still waiting on his signature moment, and this will be his opportunity to deliver it in the biggest game of his life.

On the other side, Argentina keep finding a way to win, and as long as Messi is on the field, they have the one player capable of ending a game with a single play. If Spain goes up early and their defense takes over the game, they'll run away with it. If Argentina keep it close late, they’ll have a chance to harness the late game heroics they’ve pulled off time and time again throughout this tournament.

Skin in the Game  [Powered by WagerXpert]: Back Lionel Messi Anytime Goalscorer (+130). Messi has eight goals this tournament but was held off the scoresheet against England last game. We're betting he gets back to what he's done all tournament and finds the net one more time. Spain don't concede much, so the looks will be limited, but given the impact he’s had on each game this tournament let’s ride the legend to find the net one last time at plus money. Remember this is for fun, not your rent money.

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The stakes: The Open Championship is golf's oldest major and the final one of the season, and this year it takes place at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England. Three different players have won the three majors so far this season, Rory at the Masters, Aaron Rai at the PGA, and Wyndham Clark at the U.S. Open. This is the last chance for someone to put an exclamation mark on the season.

The Open is usually defined by its brutal coastal conditions, but this year the forecast looks warm and calm, with the wind not expected to be the major factor it typically is. Without these typical elements, this tournament becomes about pure ball striking and iron play.

The Favorites:

The Contenders:

Skin in the Game  [Powered by WagerXpert]: Matt Fitzpatrick Top 10 (+158). This course is set up to reward elite iron players, and nobody in this field hits their approaches better right now than Fitzpatrick. He's already won three times this season and is playing the best golf of his career. The hometown storyline will be Fleetwood, but the smart money is on the guy whose game fits these conditions perfectly. Take him top 10. Remember this is for fun, not your rent money.

Dodgers vs. Yankees | Friday–Sunday: Baseball comes out of the All-Star break with a marquee series and a 2024 World Series rematch in the Bronx. The Dodgers arrive as the best team in baseball, chasing a three-peat no franchise has managed since the late-'90s Yankees. Meanwhile, New York is still without Aaron Judge and limping out of a brutal 4-14 stretch, though a few wins right before the break offered some hope. Two of the sport's signature franchises meet this weekend, one rolling and one desperate to keep their momentum heading into the back half of the season without their best player.

World Cup Third-Place Match: France vs. England | Saturday, 5:00 PM (FOX): This is a consolation game on paper but features two of the tournament favorites, with the loaded rosters to make it worth watching anyway. For England, it's a chance to salvage a medal from a heartbreaking late game exit; for France, a shot at a bit of redemption and to end a disappointing run on a high note. Not the game either wanted, but with this much talent on the field, it'll still be worth tuning in for.

Must-watch:

Worth tuning in:

— Backdrop Sports

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