When Spain take on Argentina in the 2026 World Cup final, one of their biggest taks will be stopping Lionel Messi. He may now be 39 years old, but that still takes some doing.
England found out the hard way that even when his influence can seem limited, Messi can still pop up with telling moments. The Inter Miami star delivered two assists in the space of seven minutes as Lionel Scaloni's men came from a goal behind to win 2-1 in the semi-final.
Messi has eight goals across the World Cup so far (tied with Kylian Mbappe), while he also has four assists (only bettered by Michael Olise, on five). One former Barcelona teammate, however, has explained how Spain can try to stop the legendary Argentine.
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Andres Iniesta Discusses How to Deal With Messi
Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta lifting the Champions League
Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta lifting the Champions League
Andres Iniesta is one of the greatest Spanish players of all time. He scored the winning goal in the 2010 World Cup final, while also lifting the Euro 2008 and 2012 trophies. He played his best club football at Barcelona, winning four Champions League titles and La Liga on nine occasions.
Across his career, the iconic midfielder shared the pitch with Messi 488 times – the most of any teammate. With that in mind, Iniesta will have a better idea than most when it comes to stopping the 39-year-old.
Speaking in New York during an interview with El Partidazo de COPE ahead of the World Cup final, the Spaniard spoke about how his nation can win the game. He states that the task of stopping Messi is 'impossible', but explained how Spain can still win:
"Shutting him down completely is impossible. It will be more about how much Spain can hurt Argentina with their own game, creating chances, and being clinical when they come along."
Iniesta then praised his former teammate, adding: "There are no words, or I just don't know how to describe it. The determination, conviction, and everything he does in every single game is something you just have to take your hat off to."
Iniesta Reveals 'No Fear' Mentality Needed to Win World Cup
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Iniesta – who retired from football in 2024, having last played for Spain in 2018 – spoke about the mental part of the game which is required to handle a big occasion such as the World Cup. The 2010 champion urged his countrymen to banish any fear:
"No, no, never fear. You must never play with fear. I think it’s down to the confidence the players give you, and their momentum throughout the World Cup has been on an upward trajectory. They head into the final with all the confidence in the world.
"Everyone knows exactly what they need to do. No matter who plays, everyone knows their role, and they exude supreme confidence. It doesn't matter who is on the pitch or what position they play, they give you the feeling that everything is under control."
Despite having played in some of the greatest teams of all time, known for the beautiful way they played football, Iniesta also insisted that it doesn't matter how Spain win, just so long as they get across the line.
He concluded: "It’s not even a dilemma, because my answer is that I don’t care who scores it. The important thing, just like back then, is that we walk away as champions. Who scores is secondary, as long as it’s the goal that wins it."