NEW YORK — Lionel Messi and Argentina will try to become the first team to defend a World Cup title since 1962 in the final on Sunday against a Spanish side that could boast the next generation’s greatest player in Lamine Yamal.
The path to the afternoon kickoff in East Rutherford, N.J., has been decidedly more emotional for Argentina, who twice came from behind and twice required extra time during the knockout phase.
That included two late goals assisted by the current generation’s greatest player — 39-year-old Messi. Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez scored in a dramatic 2-1 win over slightly favored England in Wednesday’s semifinal.
But manager Lionel Scaloni said the outbursts of emotions that have accompanied each win are exactly what is needed to process such a run, which may well be Messi’s last. It’s also a reflection of the seismic support that has followed the Albiceleste to stadiums across the United States.
“We’ve recovered something which is extremely valuable, which is the fact that people are watching our games on TV, wearing the Argentinian jersey and hugging each other,” Scaloni said through an interpreter. “This feeling of unity, we really feel it. People are with us, supporting us and backing us. And that’s very emotional for us. And it’s good to express emotions. I believe that’s part of life. It’s part of what we are. And that makes you even more human.”
Incredibly, Messi enters the weekend tied with France’s Kylian Mbappe for the tournament lead with eight goals, and with four assists is one shy of Mbappe’s teammate Michael Olise. (France play England in Saturday’s third-place match.)
After winning Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024 with Argentina, Messi is attempting to help his homeland become the third back-to-back World Cup champion, following Italy in 1934 and 1938, and Pele’s Brazil in 1958 and 1962.
Meanwhile, his teammates have been trying to embrace the moment, a luxury they didn’t have in 2022 when they shouldered the pressure of ending a 36-year World Cup drought.
“I am enjoying this World Cup much more than the one in Qatar,” admitted 33-year-old goalkeeper Emi Martinez through an interpreter. “And for me, being in my fifth final with a national team, well, I don’t want to take credit away from me. I am eternally thankful to my teammates, and I just want to enjoy. I’m going to jump on the pitch with a smile, as this is something that many players cannot achieve.”
Neither the 1938 Italy nor the 1962 Brazil national teams faced a final opponent as revered as the Spaniards, the defending European champions and three-time UEFA Nations League finalists.
Other than a 0-0 draw against Cape Verde in their opener, Spain have rarely looked seriously in jeopardy and were dominant in a 2-0 semifinal victory over favored France.
And they’ve done all of this with only one goal from the 18-year-old Lamine Yamal, who began the tournament still working back to 90-minute fitness after recovering from a left hamstring strain sustained in mid-April playing for FC Barcelona.
The presence of Messi on the other team will bring comparisons for Lamine, whose only goal came in a 4-0 group-stage win over Saudi Arabia. But Spain manager Luis de la Fuente said comparison is unwise.
“Messi is a one-of-a-time-in-history player, and he’s an example, a role model for youth and younger players, his attitude, his behavior,” de la Fuente said through an interpreter. “Lamine has to be Lamine Yamal himself, and the best way we can support him is by helping him be the person we know today because he has a great potential, a great future.”
Spain are looking for their second World Cup crown after their 2010 triumph in South Africa with an earlier generation.
With Fabian Ruiz, Dani Olmo and Rodri in midfield, this group is arguably as talented, if not necessarily as flamboyant, as that 2010 group. And they insist they are just as determined to leave their own legacy.
“We are very much satisfied with the team’s process, but we are far more ambitious than this,” Rodri said through an interpreter. “We have a great challenge ahead of us on Sunday, a very beautiful challenge in order to make (people) proud of this generation.”
