17 July 2026
Barcelona icon Lionel Messi has shared his thoughts on the prospect of going head-to-head with several of the current Barcelona first-team players in this weekend’s FIFA World Cup final.
Messi’s Argentina recently secured their place in the most prestigious match in international football. After a tense semi-final against Thomas Tuchel’s England, the defending world champions came from behind to claim a 2-1 victory, overturning an early 1-0 deficit.
With that win, Argentina now stand just one step away from lifting consecutive World Cup trophies. However, their final hurdle will be Luis de la Fuente’s Spain, who have remained unbeaten throughout the tournament.
Spain made a statement of intent by comfortably defeating France in their semi-final on Tuesday, sending a clear warning to their upcoming opponents.
La Roja’s squad features a strong Barcelona presence, with eight players from the Catalan club: Joan García, Eric García, Pau Cubarsí, Gavi, Pedri, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal, and Ferran Torres.
Following Argentina’s hard-fought triumph over England, Messi was asked about the challenge of facing Spain and his former club’s emerging stars.
Responding to the question, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner said, “Spain are a fantastic side and I know many of their players well; several of them are from Barça, the team I love and still follow closely. It’s going to be a very tough game.”
– Conor Laird
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