No man-marking Messi in final, insists Spain coach

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has ruled out assigning a dedicated marker to Lionel Messi in Monday's World Cup final, saying his side will instead keep "a very close eye" on the Argentina captain after learning long ago that man-marking him can backfire spectacularly.

Asked whether Spain would deploy a player solely to track the 39-year-old, De la Fuente recalled a youth match between his Sevilla side and Barcelona, when an attempt to shackle a teenage Messi unravelled in dramatic fashion.

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"We went to Barcelona to play them in the Spanish Cup and I'd heard great things about a lad called Messi," De la Fuente told reporters on Saturday.

"Obviously we put him under man-to-man marking from the start. And by the 70th minute, the score was 0-0. And when the player marking him was shown a card, I brought him off, and within 15 minutes he had scored four goals."

The experience left a lasting impression on the Spain coach.

"What does this mean? That we're going to mark him man-to-man? No. But that we're going to keep a very close eye on him? Yes."

Messi, playing in what is expected to be his final World Cup, remains Argentina's biggest threat as they seek to defend their title against a Spain side chasing a first global crown since 2010.

His presence has inevitably drawn comparisons with Spain's teenage star Lamine Yamal, but De la Fuente was reluctant to place that burden on the 18-year-old.

"Messi is one of a kind; he's an immense talent and, above all, an example for younger athletes," he said.

"But Lamine has to be Lamine, and I think the best way we can help him is by supporting him, helping him to remain the Lamine we've come to know."

De la Fuente also eased concerns over Yamal's fitness after the winger missed training on Wednesday following a heavy challenge in Spain's semi-final win over France.

"He took a heavy knock to the thigh; he was fouled in the box the other day, and in a very painful area," the coach said.

"Today he's also been taking part in training with the rest of his team mates as normal."

Spain have also prepared for the tournament's unusual conditions, including hydration breaks and an extended half-time show, with De la Fuente telling his players before the tournament that adaptation was the only option.

"There wasn't a single complaint, not a single grumble," he said. "Adaptation means accepting what you can't change, and since you can't change it, you might as well enjoy it."