'Shutting down Messi is impossible': Iniesta reveals what Spain must do vs Argentina
Former Spain captain Andres Iniesta has advised the national team to focus on their own tactical identity rather than attempting to neutralize Lionel Messi in the upcoming World Cup final. He emphasized that stopping Messi is impossible and that Spain should rely on possession and clinical finishing to win.
Why it matters
As a high-profile sports analysis, it provides expert insight into the tactical preparations for one of the most anticipated matches in global football.
Spain great Andres Iniesta has delivered a clear message to Luis de la Fuente's side ahead of Sunday's 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 winning goal in Spain's historic 2010 World Cup final triumph, believes the key to lifting the trophy lies not in neutralising Messi but in sticking 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 highest-scoring team, with Messi producing another masterclass in what is expected to be the final World Cup appearance of his glittering career.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in