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For the first time in half a century, not a single Serie A player featured in a World Cup final, with Lautaro Martinez and Nico Paz remaining on the bench.
In the 2026 World Cup title clash in New Jersey between Argentina and Spain, Nico Gonzalez was the sole representative whose rights were held by an Italian club.
However, despite Gonzalez starting for Argentina, he spent the entire 2025/26 season on loan at Atletico Madrid. Consequently, he was registered as a player for the Spanish club, not Juventus, for the tournament.
Given this, the only Serie A players in the squads of the two finalists were Inter captain Lautaro Martinez and Como's rising star Nico Paz. Neither, however, saw any playing time in the match.
The last instance of a World Cup final featuring no players from Italy's top flight was in 1978, when Argentina defeated West Germany to lift the trophy.
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