In this year's FIFA World Cup final, neutralizing the threat posed by Argentinian captain Lionel Messi will be a significant challenge for the Spanish team, admitted midfielder Mikel Merino. Speaking at a press conference held at Spain's training base in New Jersey, Merino stated that facing Messi, who is among the tournament's top scorers with 8 goals, is a huge inspiration for the entire team.
At 39 years old, Messi has been delivering an exceptionally strong performance in this year's World Cup. In the semi-final match where Argentina defeated England 2-1, Messi assisted both Argentine goals. Furthermore, he scored a hat-trick against Algeria in the group stage, and played a crucial role in turning around a 2-0 deficit against Egypt in the Round of 16 to secure a 3-2 victory.
Merino, who plays for Arsenal, has been instrumental in leading Spain to the final, often making key contributions from the bench. He scored the late winning goals against Portugal in the Round of 16 and against Belgium in the quarterfinals. According to Merino, the Spanish team currently possesses great self-confidence. He also noted that with Messi and 19-year-old Lamine Yamal both featuring in the final, it would be a historic match where Barcelona's past meets its future.
"It's a great honor to play in a final against one of the world's best players like Messi, and against the former champions. We are fully prepared for this challenge. What's important isn't for an individual player to be a hero, but for the team to win," Merino stated.
The highly anticipated FIFA World Cup 2026 grand final between Spain and Argentina is scheduled to be played on the evening of Monday, July 20th (early Monday morning). The match, taking place at the New York New Jersey Stadium, will kick off at 00:00 AM Maldivian time. Millions of viewers worldwide are eagerly awaiting this historic encounter.
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