Three Exciting Reasons to Watch the Finalissima
Spain and Argentina have reportedly agreed to play in the Finalissima next March. Last July, Spain became champions of Europe while Argentina won the Copa América. In the most recent Finalissima, Argentina beat Italy in June 2022 in London. The match is scheduled to take place between March 23rd and 31st, leading up to the World Cup. Argentina has already qualified for the World Cup, and Spain will play qualifiers throughout the Fall. If Spain does not qualify automatically for the World Cup, the Finalissima will have to be moved or called off. That said, this scenario is unlikely given Spain’s prowess and its competition. In the likely event the Finalissima ensues, here are three reasons why I’ll be watching no matter what.
1. Pure Class All Over the Midfield
Spain is renowned for their midfield and for good reason. They can choose any combination between Balon d’Or-winner Rodri, Champions League winner Fabián Ruiz, Golden Boy recipients Pedri and Gavi, Martín Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Dani Olmo, etc. Argentina also boasts a strong midfield, headlined by two of the best in the world: Enzo Fernández and Alexis Mac Allister. Rodrigo De Paul is also a solid player, and Exequiel Palacios, as well as Thiago Almada, are two more dynamic options for Lionel Scaloni. Both teams ranked third in their 2024 tournament wins, as ball possession will be crucial in this matchup. Spain gets a slight edge in midfield quality, but Argentina is still elite in the center of the pitch.
2. Messi and Yamal
Arguably the greatest football player ever vs one of the brightest teenagers we’ve ever seen. The greatest player to ever play for Barcelona is lining up against the man who recently took his kit number. With every step Lamine Yamal takes on the pitch, he is compared to his idol Lionel Messi. Unless something drastic happens in the next eight months, the Finalissima will be the first time we see these two share a pitch. From a footballing sense, Yamal is probably the most dynamic player Argentina have faced in a meaningful sense, Kylian Mbappé in the World Cup Final. Messi, although his powers are waning, is still as skilled as ever and an anomaly on the pitch. He’s faced Spain three times all in friendlies, winning once and scoring twice.
3. Number One Against Number Two
Argentina and Spain have spent the entire year 2025 as the first and second best teams, respectively, in the FIFA World Rankings. The top two teams in FIFA’s rankings haven’t faced each other in a major competition in more than ten years. It is very rare for fans to see two teams of this quality share the pitch. The match will serve as the appetizer to the World Cup, scheduled to take place two and a half months later. The World Cup, though, is filled with so much randomness that we aren’t guaranteed to see the two best teams face off. That said, we are currently on track to see the best and second-best teams in the world face off in March, and I for one will be watching.
