Inter Milan extends record streak to 12 consecutive World Cup finals
With Argentina reaching the 2026 World Cup final, Inter Milan becomes the first club to have a player in 12 consecutive tournament finals.
Inter Milan has set a new benchmark in football history, securing representation in 12 consecutive World Cup finals. Argentina's progression to the title match of the 2026 World Cup confirms that a player from the Italian side will once again feature in the tournament's climax.
This time, the representative will be Argentine forward Lautaro Martinez, who is set to face Spain in the final. This milestone continues a legacy that began in 1982, when Giuseppe Bergomi, Gabriele Oriali, and Alessandro Altobelli played for Italy in the final held in Spain.
Over the past four decades, the club has seen players of various nationalities—including stars like Lothar Matthäus, Ronaldo, and Wesley Sneijder—grace the biggest stage in football. Lautaro Martinez now joins an elite list of players who have reached multiple finals while representing the Nerazzurri.
The significance of this feat is highlighted by the end of another major streak: Bayern Munich will be absent from a World Cup final for the first time in 11 editions following the eliminations of France and England.