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Published : 18 Jul 2026, 08:15 PM
Former Spain manager Vicente del Bosque has warned the national team not to underestimate Argentina ahead of the World Cup final, describing their opponents as a "real nuisance" and urging Spain to remain cautious.
Del Bosque led Spain to World Cup victory in 2010, when they beat the Netherlands 1-0 in South Africa.
"Argentina are a tough team to play against — a real nuisance, if I may use the word — and they know exactly what they need to do," del Bosque told the El Pais newspaper in an interview published on Saturday.
Del Bosque pointed to Argentina's comeback victory over England as evidence of their quality.
"I see the final as favouring Spain, but they need to be wary of the Argentines, given how difficult they are to face and their experience," he said.
The 75-year-old also praised Spain's performances at the tournament and backed them to lift the trophy.
"In the matches we have watched, the game was played exactly on the national team's terms; they dominated the situation and demonstrated both assurance and confidence," he added.
Andres Iniesta, who scored the winning goal for Spain in 2010, also said he hoped a new generation of Spanish players would claim the trophy.
"I really want this generation — these players — to become champions and for us to get another star, the second one," he said in an interview with El Pais published on Saturday.
Iniesta, who played with Messi at Barcelona, praised the Argentina captain's ability to stay at the pinnacle of the game at the age of 39.
"I’d say he's pretty much the same as always: making a difference, playing a leading role, providing assists, scoring goals—doing what he’s done his whole life," he said.
"I believe the reason he’s still active at his age is that he continues to do so many things right—the way he takes care of himself, his dedication to the sport, the people around him, and the fact that he maintains the passion and mindset to keep improving both personally and as a teammate."
The World Cup final between Spain and Argentina will be played at the New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday.
