The Spanish national coach Luis de la Fuente has revealed in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup final his first memory of Leo Messi: a youth match in which the Argentine, then at Barcelona, scored four goals in fifteen minutes while he was coaching Sevilla FC.
The national coach, Luis de la Fuente, recalled this Friday at the press conference before the 2026 World Cup final against Argentina an anecdote that reflects the stature of Leo Messi from his early days. When the Riojan was coaching Sevilla FC at youth level, he faced Barcelona in a Copa del Rey match, and the young Messi scored four goals in just a quarter of an hour.
An unforgettable memory for the Riojan coach
De la Fuente, who has denied that he will assign a man-marking role to the Argentine star in the final, wanted to share this experience with the media. "I’m going to tell you something very funny about Messi. I met Lionel Messi while coaching Sevilla FC at youth level, when I was coaching in the Honor Division," he explained.
"We went to play a Copa del Rey match against Barcelona. We went to Barcelona, and I had heard very good things about a kid named Messi. In 15 minutes, he scored four against us. It was incredible," added the coach, who emphasised that that performance left a mark on him.
"In 15 minutes, he scored four against us. It was incredible"
The Messi threat for the Spanish national team
The 2026 World Cup final, which takes place this Sunday at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, pits Spain against Argentina. Messi, who at 39 years old remains the reference for the Albiceleste, is the main concern for the Spanish team. However, De la Fuente has made it clear that he will not change his approach for one player.
"We are not going to do individual marking on Messi. We trust in our defensive system and in the ability of Rodri and Pedri to control the game," the coach pointed out. Sevilla fans, who closely monitor every move of the coach, fondly remember his time in the Sevilla FC youth setup and hope that his knowledge of Argentine football pays off.
A Sevilla past that weighs on the final
Luis de la Fuente managed Sevilla FC at youth level between 2006 and 2007, just as Messi was starting to shine at Barça. That youth Copa del Rey match, which ended in a heavy defeat for Sevilla, is now a memory that the coach has used to downplay the pressure of the match.
"Messi is the best in history, but we have a great team. Spain arrives in a sweet moment, with players like Lamine Yamal or Nico Williams who can make a difference," he added. For the Sevilla fan, the coach's connection with the Nervionense club is a source of pride, even though the focus is on the final.
The 2026 World Cup final will be played on Sunday at 21:00 Spanish peninsular time and will be broadcast live on RTVE. Meanwhile, Sevilla FC supporters hope that De la Fuente can have his personal revenge against Messi, even if it is from the bench of the national team.
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