Have Lionel Messi & Lamine Yamal ever played against each other before FIFA World Cup 2026 Final?

Lamine Yamal will make his FIFA World Cup final debut, while Lionel Messi will be playing in his third final.

Spain are set to face three-time champions Argentina in the final of the FIFA World Cup 2026 at the New York New Jersey stadium on Sunday, July 19. The summit clash will only be the second meeting between the football heavyweights at the World Cup.

La Albiceleste and La Roja faced each other for the first time in the global tournament during the 1966 edition. Interestingly, Argentina defeated the 2010 champions 2-1 six decades ago, courtesy of a brace from Luis Artime. Later in the tournament. La Roja were eliminated in the group stage, while the three-time champions were sent out of the competition in the quarterfinals.

Talking about the all-time record between the two sides, they have met 14 times across all competitions and international friendlies. Both sides have won six games each. Two matches ended in a draw.

They last faced each other in 2018. La Roja lashed out 6-1 at the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid. Former Real Madrid midfielder Isco scored a hat-trick in the game, while Argentina’s only goal was scored by Nicolás Otamendi.

However, since then, the managers on both sides have changed, as well as the majority of squads. Lamine Yamal has emerged as La Roja’s major star. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi has remained La Albiceleste’s best performer for many years.

Also Read: Spain’s road to FIFA World Cup 2026 Final

What happened the last time Lionel Messi faced Lamine Yamal?

Well, in simple terms, the two have never faced each other on the football pitch so far. The seasoned veteran and the emerging star will square off against each other for the first time at the FIFA World Cup 2026 final.

Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal were expected to meet at the 2025 Finalissima last year. The game between the Copa América champions, Argentina, and the UEFA Euro 2024 winners, Spain, was initially postponed to March 27, 2026. The venue was also changed from South America to Qatar’s Lusail Stadium, where La Albiceleste were crowned world champions in 2022.

However, due to political and security tensions in the Middle East, the authorities had to rule out hosting the game in Qatar. Santiago Bernabéu later emerged as a viable venue for the Finalissima. But the proposal did not convince the Argentine Football Association, which believed that La Roja would have an unfair advantage playing on home soil.

Ultimately, it was cancelled. However, the long-awaited clash between these two players will be played at the biggest stage of international football – the FIFA World Cup final.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.