Stephen Curry and the NBA world are experiencing the height of World Cup fever. With the mouthwatering finals between Spain and defending champs Argentina kicking off on Sunday, the best basketball players in the world are ready to enjoy the matchup.
During the ESPY Awards on Wednesday, the Golden State Warriors superstar even gave his prediction on who would win the highly anticipated showdown.
Stephen Curry Predicts Argentina-Spain World Cup Final Winner With Confident Take
Curry talked to reporters after the ESPYs, and inevitably, he was asked to comment on the upcoming Spain-Argentina World Cup Final.
The four-time NBA champ didn’t even need time to think about his prediction.
“It’s hard to go against [Lionel] Messi, the back-to-back (World Cups). It seems like fate is in their hands right now. Sunday will be fun,” Curry said.
Steph Curry picked Argentina to win the World Cup Final 👀
“It’s hard to go against Messi, the back-to-back championship, it feels like destiny is in their hands. Sunday’s gonna be fun.” pic.twitter.com/GKovvKML8J
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) July 18, 2026
The Warriors’ franchise player is a well-known admirer of the Argentine forward, so his take wasn’t surprising.
In November 2025, the 12-time All-Star joined co-hosts LeBron James and Steve Nash in the “Mind the Game” podcast.
In the chat, Curry shared how Warriors coach Steve Kerr gave them a healthy dose of Barcelona’s famous “tika-taka,” a style that arguably reached its peak with Messi at the heart of it.
Ten years before the chat with the former Los Angeles Lakers superstar and the Hall of Fame point guard, Curry was even more effusive in his praise for Messi.
During an NBA international media back-and-forth, Curry was asked to comment on the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner. Roy Ward of the Sydney Morning Herald detailed the 2022 NBA Finals MVP’s response.
”We both have a creative style, a feel when you are out on the pitch or the court. I’m trying to do some fancy things out there with both hands, making crossover moves and having a certain flair to my game, and that’s definitely the style Messi has when he is out there in his matches,” Curry said in the interview.
”I love watching him play, I’m a big fan, and he’s the guy you watch play because you never know what he is going to do at any particular moment.”
Argentina seems destined to win, according to Curry, but the Spaniards aren’t going to be any pushovers. In fact, oddsmakers have La Roja as the slight favorites to end La Albiceleste’s reign.
Spain reached the finals by knocking out World Cup favorite France 2-0. Argentina needed two late goals against England in a bid for a back-to-back title, sending the English home with a 2-1 come-from-behind win.
Curry gave his prediction, but, as he said, watching the two teams battle on the pitch at the New York-New Jersey Stadium (more popularly known as MetLife Stadium) on Sunday will be fun.
