2026 World Cup final is also about the time Spain’s De la Fuente taught Argentina boss Scaloni

DUBAI: Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final has been billed as a showdown pitting Lionel Messi against Lamine Yamal, defending champions Argentina against European champions Spain; and perhaps the final appearance of football’s greatest player in the sport’s premier showcase.

Yet one of the most intriguing stories behind the match has little to do with the players.

Before Luis de la Fuente and Lionel Scaloni became two of international football’s most respected coaches, the Spain manager found himself teaching the Argentine during UEFA Pro License coaching courses organized by the Spanish Football Federation.

As an instructor, De la Fuente taught subjects including the evolution of football and team building, with Scaloni among the aspiring coaches who attended his classes before embarking on his own managerial career.

“I’ve been lucky enough to teach various coaching courses,” De la Fuente recalled during Euro 2024.

“We taught this generation of footballers like Xavi Hernandez, Xabi Alonso and Raul, football stars who wanted to become coaches, and I had the luck to train Lionel Scaloni among them.”

De la Fuente has continued to speak warmly of Scaloni over the years, describing him as a friend and admitting before the semifinal that he would relish the opportunity to meet Argentina in the final.

That possibility became reality after Messi inspired Argentina’s dramatic comeback victory over England, setting up a meeting between two coaches whose paths crossed long before they reached football’s biggest stage.

The connection adds another dimension to what already promises to be one of the most compelling World Cup finals in recent memory.

Both coaches inherited national teams facing questions about their future, both