“From the source, he remembers the duel with Messi and rejects individual marking.”

Luis de la Fuente shared a surprising memory about the first encounter he had with Lionel Messi, emphasizing the difficulty of marking the Argentine star. The Spanish coach opened up just days before the 2026 World Cup final, where Spain and Argentina will face each other, revealing an unusual story that demonstrates why man-to-man marking may not be the ideal solution against Messi.

De la Fuente recalled that he met Messi while coaching the Sevilla Division of Honour team in a Copa del Rey match against Barcelona. “We did man-to-man marking and, by the 70th minute, it was 0-0. When the player marking him received a yellow card, I decided to substitute him… and in 15 minutes, Messi scored four goals against us,” the Spanish coach recounted with a smile. This revelation highlights Messi's lethal ability when not adequately controlled, even in the early stages of the Argentine's career.

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When questioned about the possibility of repeating this tactic in the World Cup final, De la Fuente was categorical: “Does this mean we will mark him individually? No. But we will be very attentive to him. Just as they will also have to be very attentive to our players.” This approach indicates that the Spanish strategy will be more collective and dynamic, aiming to neutralize Messi through a joint effort rather than an exclusive focus.

The story shared by De la Fuente not only reinforces the mystique surrounding Messi but also points to the complexity of the challenge the Spanish national team faces. Marking such a decisive figure individually can prove to be a fruitless and even dangerous task, as the coach himself highlighted with the episode in the Sevilla-Barcelona match.

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With the 2026 World Cup final on the horizon, this reminder fuels the anticipation of how Spain and Argentina will approach the tactical duel. The Spanish strategy, focused on collective attention, promises an intense and nuanced clash. It remains to be seen whether they will be able to contain Messi without resorting to extreme measures, instead relying on the solidity of the collective to counter the Argentine genius. De la Fuente's story serves as both a warning and an invitation to closely observe the tactical decisions that will shape this clash of giants.

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