De la Fuente: It's exceptional, we won't impose man-marking on Messi

Spain's coach Luis de la Fuente has expressed great respect for the Argentina national team ahead of the highly anticipated clash between the two sides in the 2026 World Cup final, emphasizing that the match will feature two of the strongest teams in the world right now.

Luis de la Fuente has revealed that he sought the experience of former Spanish coach Vicente del Bosque to prepare for the final, saying: "I have already spoken with Del Bosque, he is someone I love very much and has great wisdom in football. He has lived this experience before and it's good to get advice from him."

Regarding the physical condition of young star Lamine Yamal, the Spanish coach explained: "He was suffering from a strong bruise in a painful area, so we preferred to give him a rest yesterday, but he trained normally today and is in excellent physical condition."

Luis de la Fuente praised the Argentina national team, stating: "I have great admiration for a team that has won the World Cup and Copa America, led by a friend of mine. It’s a relationship based on mutual respect and appreciation, and each team will try to use their footballing weapons in the best way possible."

Discussing his relationship with Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, he said: "We have a great relationship, and we are two big competitors. There is mutual admiration between us."

Regarding the possibility of implementing individual marking on Lionel Messi, De La Fuente recalled an old memory, saying: "I knew Messi when I was coaching Sevilla's youth team. Initially, we marked him individually, and after changing one of the players, he scored four goals. Therefore, we won't mark him individually, but they will also monitor our players."

The Spanish coach confirmed that the match will be decided by the details, explaining: "We must remain true to our philosophy and try to impose our style. When the time comes to suffer, we will suffer, and when we have the opportunity, we will try to take the lead in the score."

Discussing the secret to reaching the finals, De la Fuente stated: "Work, work, and then work. Even then, things may not always go as you want. You must surround yourself with good people and a strong coaching staff that helps you compete for big things."

He also spoke about Lamine Yamal, saying: "He is fine and has trained well. Messi is an exceptional talent and a role model for the youth, but Lamine needs to be himself. The most important thing is to support him because he has a great future ahead."

Speaking about his feelings before the final: "I am nervous because we will be flying back by helicopter, but we are lucky to be in this position. We want to enjoy this wonderful moment and focus entirely on the match."

He added about the nature of the final: "It will be a great match between two great teams that have a lot in common. Each side will try to steer the game towards their preferred style, but I hope that beautiful football prevails and that the referees maintain the quality of the display."

De la Fuente concluded his remarks: "Reaching the World Cup final is an extraordinary achievement in itself. I would sign up to play in a World Cup final every year, even if I lost, because just being here is a great honor, especially against a team with an amazing journey under Scaloni."