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Argentina and Spain are set to face each other in the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday, where Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal will face off in a star-studded clash that links football’s past, present and future.
FOX Sports football analysts Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimović reacted to Argentina’s win over England on Wednesday.
For Henry, Sunday’s final isn’t just about Spain and Argentina, it’s a clash between one of the best football has ever seen and one of the brightest young stars in the sport today.
“For me, what else do you want? A European champion against a South American champion and a world champion,” Henry said. “Lamine Yamal versus Lionel Messi. The future and this guy [Messi] it is the past, the present and the future and forever. I’m excited to see that.”
Lionel Messi has the chance to lead Argentina to back-to-back World Cup titles, while 19-year-old Yamal can bring Spain their first championship since 2010 and further cement himself as one of soccer’s brightest young stars in what looks like a passing-the-torch showdown.
The debate quickly moved to an even bigger question: who will win the World Cup final between Argentina and Spain?
Henry refused to make a prediction, saying Messi’s history with Argentina and legendary career at Barcelona made picking a team too difficult.
“Actually, I’m not done,” Thierry said. “It’s because of what Leo [Lionel Messi] represents in Spain. He’s played his entire career on it and the fear of facing someone stronger than any other human being because of what they’ve seen so many times in their country. »
Ibrahimović shares Henry’s view but believes Spain have the tools to take on Argentina as their playing style matches that of the reigning champions.
“Spain handled France very well… I think they can handle Argentina,” Ibrahimović said. “They are going to play possession. Argentina are not a counter-attacking team like they played today. They were attacking, but I think Spain will do their thing.”
Ibrahimović believes Spain’s path to their first World Cup title in almost two decades will depend on patience. If they can stay calm and control the tempo, he believes Spain have what it takes to dominate Argentina and come away with victory.
“You are going to fight with Yamal and I think Argentina, if they are not patient, will look for the ball and lose patience,” Ibrahimović said. “I believe Spain will dominate this match.”
As he continued to analyze the match, Henry highlighted Spain’s dominance in possession as one of their greatest strengths.
“Now you have two competing cultures going head-to-head in this final,” Henry said. “What we saw yesterday in Spain, in terms of possession, I don’t think that’s necessarily going to change against a team like Argentina. Here tonight [Against England]They have arrived.”
Argentina found the way once again, scoring twice in the final minutes to claim another victory against England. The question now is whether Messi and Argentina still have enough in reserve to overcome a well-balanced Spanish team.
“Was that the night they took that last scoop? I don’t know,” Henry said. “Are you going to bet against them with a guy like Messi and with what this team is? There always seems to be a little water in that Argentina well and that has served them well.”
