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Spanish great Andres Iniesta has sent a clear message to Luis de la Fuente’s team ahead of Sunday’s game FIFA World Cup final against Argentina: don’t waste energy trying to stop Lionel Messi completely because “it’s impossible”.The Barcelona legend, who scored the winner in Spain’s historic 2010 World Cup final triumph, believes the key to lifting the trophy lies not in neutralizing Messi, but in holding on to Spain’s own identity and making Argentina uncomfortable through possession, creativity and clinical finishing.Defending champions Argentina head into the title clash as the tournament’s top-scoring team and Messi produced another masterclass in what is expected to be the final World Cup appearance of his glittering career. The 39-year-old has already amassed eight goals and four assists as Spain remain unbeaten and conceded just once in seven games.
‘It is impossible to turn it off’
Speaking to El Partidazo de COPE, Iniesta admitted that completely silencing Messi is an unrealistic goal for any team.“To rule him out completely is impossible,” Iniesta said, as reported by Goal.com. “It will be more about how much Spain can hurt Argentina with their play, creating chances and being clinical when they come.”Having spent more than a decade alongside Messi at Barcelona, Iniesta knows better than most the challenges presented by the Argentine captain.“There are no words, or I just don’t know how to describe it. The determination, the belief and everything he does every single game is something you just have to take your hat off to,” he said.Instead of devising a strategy solely around containing Messi, Iniesta believes Spain must trust the style of football that took them to the final.
Get back in the game, don’t be afraid of Messi
The former Spain captain urged La Roja to approach football’s biggest event with confidence rather than fear, insisting that their performances during the tournament have earned them the right to believe.“No, no, never be afraid. You must never play with fear,” said Iniesta.“I think it’s down to the confidence the players give you, and their momentum during the World Cup was on an upward trajectory. They go into the final with all the confidence in the world,” he added.He also praised the clarity and cohesion within the Spanish squad, noting how each player understands their role regardless of who starts.“Everyone knows exactly what to do. No matter who is playing, everyone knows their role and exudes supreme confidence. It doesn’t matter who is on the field or what position they are playing; they give you the feeling that everything is under control,” he said.Spain built their path to the final on defensive discipline and collective football, with stars such as Lamine Yamal, Mikel Oyarzabal and Mikel Merino leading the attack. After defeating France 2-0 in the semi-finals, they are now one win away from a second World Cup title.For Iniesta, however, the individual’s heroics matter little compared to the ultimate prize. When asked if he was hoping for a player to score the winner against Argentina, he gave an unequivocal answer.“It’s not even a dilemma, because my answer is that I don’t care who scores. It’s important, like then, that we leave as champions. It’s secondary who scores, as long as the goal wins,” he concluded.
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