Spain's Coach Luis de la Fuente Discusses Strategy Against Messi Ahead of World Cup Final

As Spain prepares to face Argentina in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, coach Luis de la Fuente shares insights on their strategy against Lionel Messi. Reflecting on past experiences, he emphasizes a team approach rather than man-marking the star player. With Spain's impressive unbeaten streak and Argentina's quest for back-to-back titles, the match promises to be a thrilling showdown. De la Fuente also praises Messi's talent while encouraging young players like Lamine Yamal to develop their own identities. This final marks a historic clash between the reigning European and Copa America champions.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 19, 2026, 09:48 IST

Spain's Tactical Approach to Messi in World Cup Final

New York [US], July 19: Ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, Spain's head coach Luis de la Fuente has dismissed the idea of assigning a specific player to mark Lionel Messi. He recalled a previous experience where a similar strategy failed dramatically against the Argentine star during his youth.

During a press conference before the highly anticipated match against Argentina at MetLife Stadium, De la Fuente shared his first encounter with Messi during a youth Copa del Rey match between Sevilla and Barcelona.

“I first met Lionel Messi when he was still in youth football. It was a Copa del Rey match between Sevilla and Barcelona. I had heard a lot about this young talent named Messi,” De la Fuente stated, according to FIFA.

The coach elaborated on how his team initially opted for a man-marking strategy, which quickly fell apart when the designated marker was substituted.

“We decided to closely mark him at first. In the 70th minute, with the score still 0-0, the player marking him received a card, and I had to take him off. In the next 15 minutes, Messi scored four goals,” De la Fuente recounted.

Reflecting on that experience, he emphasized that Spain would not depend on a single player to contain the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.

“Does that mean we’re going to man-mark him? No. But will we pay significant attention to him? Yes. However, it will be no more than what they will do for our players,” he clarified.

De la Fuente also expressed admiration for Argentina and his counterpart, Lionel Scaloni. “Admiration, admiration, and more admiration,” he said, noting that Scaloni is “a good friend of mine.”

When asked about comparisons between the young talent Lamine Yamal and Messi, he insisted that the 18-year-old should forge his own path.

“Lamine must be Lamine. Messi is an extraordinary talent and a role model for young footballers. While I see him as an example, Lamine needs to develop in his own way, and the best support we can give him is to allow him to be himself,” he remarked, according to FIFA.

Spain enters the final with impressive form, having conceded only one goal throughout the tournament and achieving a record six clean sheets in a single World Cup edition. After starting with a goalless draw against Cape Verde, La Roja has secured six consecutive victories, eliminating Austria, Portugal, Belgium, and France to reach their first World Cup final since their 2010 victory.

They also boast a remarkable 37-match unbeaten streak and could set a new record for the longest unbeaten run by a European men's national team with a win on Sunday.

Argentina, on the other hand, aims for consecutive World Cup titles after a comeback victory against England in the semifinals. Under Lionel Scaloni, the team has won 14 straight matches and is known for their late-game heroics, scoring a tournament-high eight goals after the 85th minute.

With both nations having an equal head-to-head record of six wins each and two draws, the upcoming match promises to be an exciting finale as the reigning European champions face off against the Copa America champions for the first time in a FIFA World Cup final.