​Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente openly praised Lionel Messi amid his remarkable 2026 World Cup run at the age of 39. As Spain advanced to the quarter-finals and prepared to face Belgium, they stood as the only team at the tournament yet to concede a goal, while Argentina carried the Golden Boot leader in Messi into their own quarter-final against Switzerland. In the lead-up to that clash, De la Fuente could not hide his admiration for Messi’s form, noting in a press conference that Messi appears almost two decades younger than his years.
“Messi seems like he’s 19 or 23,” De la Fuente said. “He is performing at an exceptional level. It’s not just his maturity any longer; above all, it is his commitment. He is tireless, never satisfied. He always wants more, every single day. He is an example to all his teammates, to football fans, and to anyone just starting out in the sport.”
Messi has effectively claimed the Golden Boot, with eight goals, doing so in one fewer appearance than Kylian Mbappé, who reached eight goals during France’s quarter-final win over Morocco. Many regard Messi as the overwhelming favorite for a third World Cup Golden Ball, believing he has carried Argentina’s attack throughout the tournament.
Spain and Argentina sit on opposite sides of the World Cup bracket, meaning a final between them would require both teams to advance through their respective paths. If Spain, the reigning European champions, can topple Belgium, they would then face a formidable obstacle: France, in the semi-finals, in order to reach the final for the first time since their 2010 triumph. On Argentina’s side, a victory over Switzerland would set up a semi-final clash with the winner of England versus Norway, potentially guiding Messi toward a third World Cup final appearance in four editions.
Argentina is currently favored to emerge from their half of the bracket and reach the final, while Spain faces the daunting challenge of overcoming France for a shot at a final rematch against the country Messi could have represented. As the tournament unfolds, questions abound about whether a World Cup final could feature Messi’s home nation against the reigning champions, or perhaps a different narrative entirely that positions Messi as a central figure in a pivotal clash.