Messi's New Opponent Revealed as Finalissima Cancellation Denies Epic Yamal Showdown
Following the collapse of arrangements for Argentina to meet Spain this weekend, Lionel Messi and La Albiceleste will now confront Guatemala during the March international window.
The much-awaited Finalissima, scheduled to occur in Qatar on March 27, was formally called off on Sunday because of the continuing conflict in the Middle East. The current world champions turned down UEFA's proposals to relocate the fixture to the Bernabéu in Madrid, effectively eliminating the opportunity for supporters to witness Messi and Lamine Yamal clash for the first time in an official encounter.
Lionel Scaloni's squad subsequently found themselves lacking any World Cup preparation fixtures on their schedule before this summer's competition, leading the team to seek an alternative: Guatemala.
La Albiceleste revealed the new international exhibition match on Tuesday, which will occur on domestic territory on March 31. The squad will journey to Argentina for a "week of rigorous preparation" before facing off against the Concacaf adversary.
Argentina's Disappointing Friendly Carries World Cup Consequences
Argentina's Disappointing Friendly Carries World Cup Consequences
It's evident that confronting Guatemala rather than Spain represents a significant downgrade for Argentina. La Roja stands among the contenders to claim the 2026 World Cup and possesses a talented roster that would provide Scaloni's team with a genuine challenge before their championship defense this summer.
However, La Albiceleste must now accept a fixture against Guatemala, a nation that failed to secure qualification for the tournament taking place throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. The encounter will probably be another dominant performance from the current Copa América winners, similar to virtually all their meetings with Concacaf and CONMEBOL nations in recent years.
The Finalissima would have finally matched Argentina against a European force to assist the team in preparing for the World Cup, a tactic they employed before the 2022 tournament. Messi and his teammates faced Germany, Italy and Estonia to ready themselves for the competition in Qatar, which they ultimately captured.
Fellow South American powerhouse Brazil is adopting a comparable strategy in March by meeting France and Croatia. Even the U.S. men's national squad has fixtures against Belgium and Portugal arranged.
It's uncertain whether Argentina will expand their calendar leading up to the 2026 World Cup, but currently, their sole planned preparation match is against Guatemala.
Will Lionel Messi Feature for Argentina vs. Guatemala?
Will Lionel Messi Feature for Argentina vs. Guatemala?
Warning signs emerged for both Argentina and Inter Miami when Messi failed to accompany the Herons to Charlotte this weekend. Without their leader, Javier Mascherano's squad could only secure a scoreless tie with their Eastern Conference rivals.
Worries were quickly eased, however, when Inter Miami assistant coach Javier Morales verified Messi's absence was merely a preventive step to maintain the 38-year-old's fitness for the second leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup against Nashville SC on Wednesday.
Assuming no additional complications develop with Messi before the fixture, it's probable the eight-time Ballon d'Or recipient will participate in the match, particularly since it's on home ground and represents the only game scheduled for Argentina during the March international period.