De la Fuente recalls the day a 16-year-old Messi scored four in 15 minutes as Spain prepares for World Cup final

A helicopter ride and a 22-year-old memory

Luis de la Fuente faced the media at New York's Javits Center two days before the World Cup final, and his biggest worry was not Lionel Messi but the helicopter trip back to the team hotel. "Estoy bastante nervioso porque volvemos en helicóptero, eso me pone nervioso, lo demás no," he said. The Spain coach then reached back more than two decades to his time in charge of Sevilla's youth side, when he first encountered a 16-year-old Messi in a Copa del Rey last-16 tie at the Mini Estadi. De la Fuente assigned an individual marker to the Argentine. With the score at 0-0 after 70 minutes, that player received a yellow card and was substituted. "En quince minutos nos metieron cuatro goles," De la Fuente recounted. Barcelona won 5-0 on the night. The coach made clear there will be no repeat man-marking plan on Sunday: "No le vamos a poner marcaje individual."

Messi's shadow and the Yamal connection

Messi did not speak at Argentina's official press conference, but he did appear at a FIFA fan event alongside Emiliano Martínez and Lionel Scaloni, where he was asked about Lamine Yamal. The two share a famous photograph from 2007, when a baby Yamal was bathed by Messi for a charity calendar. "Lo de esa foto es una locura porque ahora estamos aquí los dos para jugar la final de un Mundial," Messi said. He called Yamal "un gran jugador" and added: "Intentaremos hacer un buen partido para que él no pueda sacar su versión." De la Fuente confirmed Yamal is fit after the winger missed Thursday's session: "Lamine está bien. Hoy han entrenado todos bien."

Lamine is a great player and I wish him the best because he plays at a club I love. With 19 years he has his whole career ahead and is already a world reference.

Rodri's resurgence and Del Bosque's seal of approval

Vicente del Bosque, the coach who led Spain to the 2010 title, told El País that La Roja "ha tenido un saber estar en todo momento" and that "se ha jugado a lo que ha querido la selección." He singled out Rodri, who arrived at the tournament short of fitness but delivered a commanding semi-final against France. Rodri himself said his message to the squad was: "Hay que tener más ganas de ganar que miedo de perder." De la Fuente revealed he had sought advice from Del Bosque, whom he called "un sabio."

We have nothing to envy anyone. Before we went abroad to see what our rivals did, and now they come to see us. A style of play based on dominance has been consolidated.

Iniesta questions Pedri's role

Andrés Iniesta, whose goal won the 2010 final, told Cadena SER he is enjoying watching this Spain side. "Tiene un talento brutal, una generación muy buena, y no es casualidad que se haya plantado en la final de un Mundial." But he expressed surprise at Pedri's reduced minutes: "Me sorprende que sea suplente por lo que yo concibo de Pedri y el jugador que es." Iniesta added that in a short tournament any player can become decisive in a final.

A hostile fan event and the road to Sunday

A FIFA-organised event between the two press conferences turned awkward for the Spanish delegation. Rodri and De la Fuente were booed by a crowd that had come to see Messi, prompting De la Fuente to call for respect. Tom Brady, Kevin Durant and Novak Djokovic acted as interviewers, with Rio Ferdinand hosting. De la Fuente, meanwhile, said he would "firmar llegar todos los años a una final de Mundial y perderla" and stressed that both teams share a commitment to attacking football. The final kicks off on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.