Luis de la Fuente, Spain’s coach, revealed the team plans to give Lionel Messi ‘special attention’ in Sunday’s World Cup final against Argentina but will avoid man-marking him.

De la Fuente shared a story from his time coaching Sevilla’s youth team when he faced young Messi at Barcelona, highlighting how impossible it was to contain him.He recalled a match where Messi scored four goals in 15 minutes despite being marked man-to-man.The Spain coach emphasized that their strategy will focus on staying alert and adapting to Messi’s skills rather than trying to stop him directly.Messi, 39, has been instrumental in Argentina’s World Cup campaign, leading them to the final.De la Fuente praised Messi as an example for young athletes, noting his remarkable performance at this age.The match also marks a personal rivalry between de la Fuente and Argentina’s Lionel Scaloni, who share a friendship from 2017.De la Fuente dismissed rumors of underhanded tactics by Argentina, showing admiration for their team.He also discussed adjustments for the extended halftime break in the final, suggesting it might become standard in football.The article underscores Spain’s tactical approach to facing Messi and the significance of the World Cup final.