There is something magical about a World Cup final.
For ninety minutes—or maybe one hundred and twenty—the whole world seems to stop. Millions of people, speaking different languages and living thousands of kilometres apart, suddenly share the same emotions. Excitement, tension, hope, disappointment, celebration. Football has an incredible ability to connect people, even when their own country is no longer part of the tournament.
This Sunday, Spain and Argentina will meet in the FIFA World Cup Final. Two fantastic teams that have earned every minute of their journey. Behind every pass, every sprint and every goal there are years of sacrifice, endless training sessions, pressure from the media, expectations from an entire nation and, of course, a lot of sweat. Professional footballers are paid to perform at the highest level, but no salary can make those ninety minutes any less intense.
As Italians, we know what it feels like to watch the World Cup from the sofa. Italy didn't qualify for the last two editions and, while talking about football this week, we discovered another curious piece of history: the only other time Italy failed to qualify was back in 1958... during the World Cup hosted right here in Sweden.
Funny coincidence, isn't it?
But football is bigger than disappointment. Once your own team is out, you simply choose another story to follow. That's what we love most about the World Cup. It creates an international atmosphere where people happily cheer for countries that are not their own. Friends gather around the television, strangers become teammates for one evening, and every goal is celebrated in dozens of different languages.
And since we spend most of our days thinking about lasagna, we couldn't resist imagining what a Spanish and an Argentinian lasagna might look like.
Let's start with one important rule: both versions keep pasta sheets. Otherwise, calling them lasagna would be cheating, so red card!
Team Argentina
At first we thought about creating a classic beef ragù. It would certainly make sense, but it also felt a little too predictable.
Instead, we'd love to create something lighter and unexpected: a white lasagna made with silky Argentinian red prawns gently folded into a delicate white ragù. Between the layers, melted provoleta cheese brings richness while keeping the flavour unmistakably Argentinian.
Rather than baking tomatoes into the lasagna, we'd serve it with a fresh salad of ripe tomatoes and rocket, finished with a vibrant chimichurri dressing. A light snowfall of Parmigiano Reggiano on top would create the crispy golden crust that every great lasagna deserves.
Fresh. Elegant. Full of character.
Team Spain
Since Argentina went in a lighter direction, Spain deserves something bold.
Imagine a rustic chorizo lasagna built for serious flavour. A rich béchamel loaded with generous amounts of Manchego Semi Curado. An intense tomato sauce enriched with roasted garlic, slow-cooked onions and just a touch of sobrasada for extra depth.
Between the layers, slices of smoked Idiazabal cheese slowly melt into the pasta. Chorizo appears everywhere—not only inside the lasagna but also on top, creating a crispy effect almost reminiscent of an American pepperoni pizza.
Powerful. Smoky. Comforting.
To balance all that richness, we'd pair it with a refreshing salad of shaved fennel, crisp lettuce, fresh lemon and a splash of sherry vinegar.
Sometimes the best side dish is simply the one that lets the main character shine.
So, which lasagna would win?
The delicate freshness of Argentina? Or the bold, smoky intensity of Spain?
We'll leave that decision to our customers.
The real winner, however, will lift the golden trophy this Sunday evening.
We'll be watching with curiosity, probably discussing football, definitely discussing food, and wondering whether the champion's lasagna deserves a place on our future seasonal menu.
Enjoy the match.
And as we say in Italy...
Che vinca il migliore.
And if you're looking for a delicious takeaway in Stockholm before kick-off, you know where to find us. Homemade lasagna is perfect football food—easy to share, comforting and made from scratch.
