Messi walks into this one at 39, chasing his fourth World Cup title and a shot at becoming the first men's player to defend the trophy since Pele did it with Brazil back in 1962.Lamine Yamal is just 19, and he'll be lining up across from a man who was already a household name before Yamal was born. That's a strange kind of symmetry,and it's hard not to think about what it means for the sport passing hands.Argentina and Spain have met 14 times total across every competition,and the head to head record is dead even, six wins each with two draws.Spain has actually won four of the last six meetings, though Argentina's only previous World Cup encounter with them, decades ago,ended in their favor.
Neither coach was even born, or barely alive,the last time these two sides met at a World Cup.Lionel Scaloni wasn't born yet, and Luis de la Fuente was five years old. Argentina comes in unbeaten in 14 straight knockout matches, a streak that stretches back to 2019.Spain,on the other hand, has matched the world record for the longest unbeaten run in men's international soccer history.
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