Barcelona legend Lionel Messi and Blaugrana wonderkid Lamine Yamal are yet to face each other on the soccer pitch. But the pair will soon be involved in an international affair when Argentina takes on Spain in next year’s La Finalissima.
So, when and where will the clash between Messi and Yamal’s national teams take place?
Lionel Messi To Face Lamine Yamal on World Stage Next Year
Argentina, the reigning CONMEBOL Copa America champions, and Spain, the reigning UEFA European Championship champions, will compete in La Finalissima on March 27, according to copaamerica.com. The pair will lock horns at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar.
Messi’s side qualified for La Finalissima after their 1-0 victory against Colombia in the Copa America final in 2024. Yamal’s team, on the other hand, booked their place following a 2-1 win over England in the Euro 2024 summit clash.
So far, La Finalissima has been staged three times in history. France emerged victorious in the inaugural edition of the fixture, then known as the Artemio Franchi Cup, in 1985. Argentina won the fixture in 1993 before becoming the current holders in 2022.
Yamal Clarifies His Position on Messi Comparisons
Since making his senior debut in April 2023, Yamal has emerged as one of the best players in the world. He has also drawn comparisons to Messi owing to his silky style of play.
However, Yamal has claimed that he has no intention of replicating the Inter Miami captain. “I respect him, in the end for what’s he’s been, for what he is to football, and if we ever meet on a pitch, there will be that mutual respect because we are players and because, for me, he’s the best in history. We both know I don’t want to be Messi. I want to follow my path and that’s it. I don’t have the intention of playing like him or wearing the No.10 that Messi wore or anything like that,” Yamal said on CBS’ 60 Minutes (via ESPN).
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Yamal also opened up on how he learnt from Messi, saying, “The strange thing is as a little kid, I didn’t dribble much. I scored a lot, I ran a lot, but above all, I always had a good vision of the game. As a kid, focusing on Messi maybe, I noticed he made different passes. I have seen good passers, making long passes or whatever, but Messi made passes that were like goals, with the outside of his foot, and that’s what I focused on.”
Yamal, who turned 18 earlier this July, is relishing a great 2025-26 campaign for Barcelona. The left-footed inverted winger has scored eight goals and provided 11 assists in 19 overall outings for his boyhood club this season.
