Atlético Madrid records most players in third straight World Cup final

Atlético Madrid has become the club with the highest number of representatives in a FIFA World Cup final for a third consecutive tournament. In the upcoming 2026 final, where Spain will face Argentina, the Spanish side fields Marcos Jorente, Alex Baena, Mark Poubil, and Alessandro Grimaldo, while the Argentine squad includes Juan Muso, Giuliano Simeone, Nahuel Molina, Julián Álvarez and Tiago Almeida.

The trend began in the 2018 final (France vs Croatia) with four Atlético players – Antoine Griezmann, Lucas Hernández, Thomas Lemar and Šime Vrsaljko – and continued at the 2022 final (Argentina vs France) with another quartet of club members, including Griezmann and Rodrigo De Paul among others. The repeated presence underscores Atlético Madrid’s impact on the world stage.