Lamine Yamal vs Lionel Messi? Spain and Argentina to go head-to-head as UEFA confirms Finalissima clash between Euro and Copa America winners

Key stakeholders from the global footballing community recently convened in Asuncion, Paraguay, to lay the groundwork for the upcoming Finalissima. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 75th FIFA Congress and featured representatives from CONMEBOL, UEFA, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

The summit covered various strategic and operational aspects required to stage a high-profile event such as the Finalissima. Although the final date and location are yet to be announced, both federations expressed a commitment to delivering a memorable event that reflects the calibre of the competing nations and the growing importance of the fixture as an elite football spectacle.

UEFA put out a statement which read: "Representatives of CONMEBOL, UEFA, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) held their first face-to-face meeting for the organisation of the men's Finalissima, where the champions of the CONMEBOL Copa América 2024 and UEFA EURO 2024 will play against each other.

"The objective was to begin coordinating preparations for this prestigious fixture, which in this edition will be contested between the national teams of Argentina and Spain. The meeting was attended by the President of the AFA, Claudio Tapia, and the President of the RFEF, Rafael Louzan, along with the administrative teams of CONMEBOL and UEFA. During the meeting, key issues such as institutional objectives, organisational responsibilities, logistical planning, competition schedules for both teams and tentative dates for the match were discussed."

Argentina enters the Finalissima as the reigning champions of the competition, having claimed the title in 2022 when they dominated Italy 3-0 at Wembley Stadium. That edition marked the revival of the intercontinental fixture, designed to pit the best of Europe against the best of South America.

The spotlight of the encounter will undoubtedly be on the potential face-off between Messi and teenage prodigy Yamal. It will offer a unique chance to witness two generations of football excellence share the same pitch in what could be a symbolic passing of the torch moment.