Spain Coach Shares Strategy to Handle Messi and Argentina in Final

Spain's head coach Luis de la Fuente is gearing up for an exciting FIFA World Cup 2026 final. He calls Sunday’s match against Argentina a clash of two great teams ready to show off their best football.

During a press conference with captain Rodri before the match at the New York New Jersey Stadium, De la Fuente said this final is set for an amazing display. Both Spain and Argentina reached the final after impressive performances in the tournament across North America.

“I think tomorrow (Sunday) is going to be an incredible show,” De la Fuente said. “We have two super teams that have a lot in common, especially in terms of having big personalities and highly talented players. Both sides will try to play to our strengths, but I think both Argentina and Spain will plan a game where brilliance, talent, and good play shine through above anything else.”

De la Fuente has taken Spain to the brink of winning a second FIFA World Cup. He understands that just being in this final is a big deal. He promised that his team will give their all in the pursuit of victory.

“I think it’s a privilege just to be in this final,” he said. “I’m not one for lofty statements. What’s important to me is to be in a good position to win. I would be happy to reach the World Cup final every year, even if we lost. That shows you how important the World Cup is. And now we have the chance to fight to win it, and that’s exactly what we’ll do.”

Good news came for Spain as they prepared for the final. There were worries about the fitness of young star Lamine Yamal. The Barcelona winger had a knock during Spain’s semi-final win over France. But De la Fuente confirmed the 19-year-old trained well in the days before the final, easing fears about his fitness.

Yamal has been one of Spain’s best players in the tournament and is expected to be key against the defending champions. With people comparing him to Argentina's captain Lionel Messi, De la Fuente advised the young player to focus on making his own mark rather than trying to copy Messi, who has won the Ballon d’Or eight times.

“I think Lamine has to be Lamine,” the coach said. “Messi is an unbelievable talent and an example to all young footballers. I consider him a role model, but Lamine has to be Lamine. The best way to help him is to give him the support so he can keep being Lamine.”

A big question ahead of the final is how Spain plans to stop Messi. He is the tournament’s top scorer and Argentina’s biggest threat. Instead of sharing his plans, De la Fuente told a story from his first meeting with Messi.

“I met Lionel Messi when he was playing youth football,” he recalled. “It was a Copa del Rey match between Sevilla and Barcelona. I had heard a lot about a boy called Messi. So naturally, we decided to man-mark him. In the 70th minute we were drawing 0-0, and when the player marking him received a yellow card, I substituted him. In the next 15 minutes, Messi scored four goals.”

De la Fuente laughed but said Sunday’s tactics would not be based on that memory. “Does that mean we’re going to man-mark him? No. But will we be paying a lot of attention to him? Yes. No more than they will be paying attention to our players.”

De la Fuente also praised Argentina and their coach Lionel Scaloni. He called the Albiceleste one of the best teams in the world. He referred to Scaloni as “a good friend,” and said: “Admiration, admiration, and more admiration.”

Rodri, Spain’s captain, agreed with his coach. He warned his teammates not to underestimate Argentina’s strength. The Manchester City midfielder noted that Scaloni’s team has come back from tough situations several times during the tournament, making them more dangerous.

“It shows that they are a very competitive side, one that knows how to turn difficult situations around,” Rodri said. “It shows how much character they have, and we’ll have to keep that in mind and remember what type of team they are. We will try to hit them where it hurts while remembering that the game could turn in many different directions.”

As two of the best teams in football prepare for the final, Sunday is set to be a thrilling match. Spain aims for their second World Cup title, while Argentina looks to defend the title they won four years ago.