Argentina come up with tactical plan to stop Lamine Yamal ahead of Finalissima showdown with Lionel Messi’s side

Lusail Stadium in Qatar will host a blockbuster Finalissima on 27 March as European champions Spain meet Copa América holders Argentina, and the tactical battle between teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi’s Albiceleste has already begun. Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has reportedly drawn up a detailed scheme aimed at neutralising the Barcelona winger, who is expected to return to the Spain squad after missing November’s World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Turkey while receiving treatment for pubalgia.

According to Doble Amarilla, Scaloni’s plan revolves around two key adjustments. First, left-back Nicolás Tagliafico will be given primary responsibility for engaging Yamal, but he will not be left in isolation. A midfielder with greater physical presence is set to be deployed, with instructions to “constantly drop back and provide cover,” compressing the space into which Yamal likes to dribble and create. The objective is to deny the 17-year-old the room to accelerate and cut inside on his favoured left foot, forcing him either wide or into traffic.

The match will mark the first senior encounter between Yamal and Messi, adding a generational subplot to a contest that pits the reigning continental champions against each other. Yamal has enjoyed a prolific season with Barcelona, who are through to the Copa del Rey semi-finals, and Scaloni is determined to ensure the teenager does not find similar freedom on the international stage.

Spain hope the Finalissima will also serve as a clean slate for Yamal after the furore that accompanied his late-2025 withdrawal from qualifying duty. With Argentina keen to underline their status as world champions and Spain aiming to assert dominance in their own right, the tactical chess match on the right flank could prove decisive in a game overflowing with star power.