Why Spain’s Coach Won’t Man-Mark Messi in the World Cup Final

Spain’s head coach Luis de la Fuente has ruled out assigning a dedicated marker to Lionel Messi in Sunday’s World Cup final. He recalls a 2004 youth match when he tried man-marking a 16-year-old Messi. With just 15 minutes left and the score still level, Messi’s marker was substituted after picking up a booking – and the teenager went on to score four times. That unforgettable experience shaped De la Fuente’s tactics. He now says no single defender can fully contain Messi and must look for different ways to limit his influence at the New York–New Jersey Stadium.

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