‘The team I still love’ – Lionel Messi speaks out on facing Barcelona stars in World Cup final

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17 July 2026

Barcelona legend

Lionel Messi

has spoken out on the prospect of locking horns with a number of current members of the Blaugrana’s first-team ranks, in this weekend’s

World Cup

final.

Messi’s

Argentina

are of course fresh off booking their spot in the biggest fixture in all of international football. After locking horns with Thomas Tuchel’s England, the reigning world champions recovered from a 1-0 deficit to ultimately emerge 2-1 victors.

Argentina, in turn, are just one more win away from back-to-back

titles. Standing in the way of Lionel Scaloni’s troops and as much, however, are Luis de la Fuente’s long-unbeaten

Spain

La Roja made short work of France in their own semi-final tie on Tuesday, sending something of a warning message the way of their upcoming opponents in the process.

Spain’s squad is headlined by no less than eight Barcelona stars, namely Joan García, Eric García, Pau Cubarsí, Gavi, Pedri, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres.

Speaking in the aftermath of Argentina’s downing of England, Blaugrana hero

was therefore drawn on the challenge of facing

and Barca’s current crop of stars alike.

And the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner went on to admit:

“Spain are very good and I know many of the players; a lot of them are at Barça, the team I love and still follow. It’ll be a very difficult match.”

Conor Laird – GSFN

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