Sports News | FIFA WC 2026: Former Indian Footballer Israil Speaks on Argentina-Spain Final, Teenage Lamine Yamal's Future
Get latest articles and stories on Sports at LatestLY. It will be a clash of generations in New Jersey as 39-year-old Argentina icon Lionel Messi, will be aiming to go back-to-back against a very strong Spanish unit, with a teenage Lamine Yamal as their biggest star. With Argentina having made headlines with their remarkable comeback wins in the later stages of the tournament and 2010 champions Spain pulling out fantastic defending and attacks alike, the clash for the gold looks mouth-watering.
By Sahil Kohli
Fukuoka [Japan], July 19 (ANI): Former Indian footballer and FC Goa youth coach Israil Gurung expressed that the winner of FIFA World Cup between Spain and defending champions Argentina could be determined by a "very slight" margin, noting the well-organised, highly-technical nature of both teams who know when to take advantage in case of an opponent slip up.
It will be a clash of generations in New Jersey as 39-year-old Argentina icon Lionel Messi, will be aiming to go back-to-back against a very strong Spanish unit, with a teenage Lamine Yamal as their biggest star. With Argentina having made headlines with their remarkable comeback wins in the later stages of the tournament and 2010 champions Spain pulling out fantastic defending and attacks alike, the clash for the gold looks mouth-watering.
Speaking to ANI ahead of the clash, Israil, who has been with clubs like Mohun Bagan, Churchill Brothers, Mohammedan SC among others, said, "I think both teams are great, I must say but I think you know, this match will be you know, I think it will be, I think the difference will be very, very, very slight I feel."
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"The margin will be, might be one goal or two goals, that is what I feel because both teams you know, they are technically great, well organised, they know how to take advantage of slight mistakes. So I think you know, it will be a tie (the prediction) but I feel maybe you know, Spain might be but even Argentina is great, but that is my prediction," he said.
A decade after one of the most heartbreaking moments of his illustrious career, Messi returns to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey with an opportunity to rewrite history.
For the Argentina captain, the title clash is more than a battle for football's biggest prize. It is a return to the venue where he endured the agony of defeat in the 2016 Copa America Centenario final against Chile, a night that ended with a missed penalty, tears on the substitutes' bench and a shock announcement that he was retiring from international football. While he reversed his retirement later and eventually captured two back-to-back Copa America titles and the elusive FIFA World Cup title in 2022 Qatar edition, those memories will surely be fresh in fans' minds and perhaps that of Messi too.
Standing in Argentina's way is a Spain side that has been the tournament's standout defensive unit. Luis de la Fuente's men have conceded just one goal throughout the competition becoming the first team to keep six clean sheets in a single men's World Cup, with their goalie Unai Simon being a leading 'Golden Glove' contender.
After opening their campaign with a goalless draw against Cape Verde, Spain have reeled off six consecutive victories, eliminating Austria, Portugal, Belgium and France on their way to the final.
The European champions also carry a 37-match unbeaten run into the contest and are bidding to win only their second FIFA World Cup title after their triumph in 2010.
Also, Argentina, managed by Lionel Scaloni have now won 14 consecutive matches, equalling the longest winning streak by a South American nation, and are aiming to become only the second team after Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend the FIFA World Cup.
Although the final in New Jersey marks the first time the 39-year-old Argentina veteran and the 19-year- old Spain winger playing against each other but it is not their first actual meeting. This is one of the most poetic and interesting subplots of the final.
Almost 18 years back, Messi shared a memorable moment with Spain star Yamal nearly before the pair emerged as potential rivals on the biggest stage of international football.
Messi took part in a charity photoshoot organised by Catalan newspaper Diario Sport in 2008 while then playing for Barcelona. During the shoot at the club's iconic Camp Nou stadium, the then-20-year-old Argentine posed with a baby Yamal, who was sitting in a small plastic bathtub alongside his mother, Sheila Ebana.
At the time, neither could have imagined that Yamal would grow into one of Spain's brightest footballing talents, with the possibility of facing Messi in a FIFA World Cup final almost two decades later.
Now, in this tournament, Yamal has shown glimpses of brilliance that had made Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo legends. While he has scored just one goal so far in seven matches, the overall impact of his ultra-attacking approach has paid off handsomely for Spain, as his shots, penalties won, dribbles, passes have made an impact that cannot be barely justified by number of goals.
With the teenage star looking to replace Messi and Cristiano as one of the football's poster boys of future, Israil has said that while it is possible, he is still young and will have to maintain himself as a top-notch footballer in all aspects, be it goals, training, fitness, focus, overall game etc and keep his composure balanced in tough times.
"I will not say it is not possible you know, but again he is young, how he will maintain himself in coming years, that will matter because those players (Messi, Ronaldo and other legends) they have already crossed all those you know, difficulties," he said.
"Now we have to see when he face difficulties or bad time, whether he is able to bounce back or whether he is able to you know, fight back and come back because all those plays they have already crossed all those bad phases in their life. So now we have to see Yamal, if he can maintain or you know, if he can be more grounded and concentrate on his training and be more humble and then I think definitely there will be a pathway for him to reach there," he added.
FC Goa youth team's exposure tour to Japan, alongside Reliance Foundation Development League (RFDL) youth sides Punjab FC and Bengaluru FC has not been very fulfilling in terms of results, with first one being a narrow 1-0 loss to Sagan Tosu and a 4-5 loss on penalties to Avispa Fukuoka. However, the coach looks at the tour positively, saying that it will act as a big boost ahead of 2026-27 season and some of these players would be joining the senior men's side.
"I think there are many things that we can learn and you know, there are many good things that I am taking. Yes, I do not want to lose, even my players do not want to lose as well but you know, sometimes it happens but I am looking in a positive way. This tour will give us a very, very big boost in this coming season," he said.
"And I think you know, all those young players especially, a few players they will be joining the first team so they will be no more with me but all those young players, those who are 15 years and 16 years, I think it will be a great, great boost for them and now they have experience, they have known, they have tested the level of football out here, the speed of football out here. So I think it will be a very, very positive thing for us. So, I am not worried about the loss."
"Yes, I am sad definitely, I want to win but I think looking at the fact like you know, the players will be benefited more from this one as well as me as well. So, I am happy with this tour," he signed off. (ANI)
(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)