The Reason Why the Date for the Finalissima Match Between Argentina and Spain Is Not Confirmed | A Clash of Copa América and Euro Cup Champions

Attempts to agree on a date have, up until now, been in vain. In mid-May of this year, a meeting took place during the 75th FIFA Congress where efforts were made to bridge positions, but the date for the Finalissima match between the Argentine national team, champions of the Copa América, and Spain, winners of the Eurocup, could not be confirmed.

In the aforementioned meeting, the president of AFA, Claudio Tapia, and the president of RFEF, Rafael Louzán, along with administrative teams from Conmebol and UEFA, discussed key topics such as logistical planning and the competition schedules for both teams. The goal was to find tentative dates for the match.

However, the reality is that the schedules are pressing and the situation worsens with this year’s Club World Cup. Spain just completed its participation in the Nations League this Sunday, and the UEFA qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup still remain to be played, in addition to three dates for South American qualifiers.

According to a recent report by Gastón Edul, a journalist covering the Argentine national team, the coaching staffs of both teams do not believe it is advisable to play the match in March 2026, just three months before the World Cup. A match of such magnitude can have a strong impact so close to the start of the tournament.

The 1-6 defeat against Spain was not forgotten just months before the 2018 World Cup, when Sampaoli was the coach. Friendlies prior to a World Cup are usually against smaller teams to fine-tune details. Additionally, it poses a dangerous physical effort given potential injuries.

And all this only considers the national teams’ schedules, not those of the clubs, which increasingly play more matches each season. Especially those competing in international tournaments, who are precisely the players called to the top-level national teams.

“I know nothing about the Finalissima. This year we already know it’s complicated and next year, especially with the World Cup, I don’t know. We will see what decision those who really matter make. We know that in the end we count for little. But I have no information,” Lionel Scaloni declared a few days ago.

The Memory of the 2021 Finalissima

It remains in memory the magnificent performance of the Argentine national team in the Finalissima where they defeated Italy 3-0, then the reigning Eurocup champions. Not only the result but also the development of the match itself. It was the crowning of a team that has been on the rise since the Copa América it won against Brazil in Maracanã. Undoubtedly, it excited everyone looking forward to the World Cup. A hope that would not be in vain.

Argentina reclaimed its title as Copa América champion, while across the ocean, Spain emerged, winning the Eurocup 2024 and currently seems to be the only national team in the world that threatens the Argentine supremacy. Beyond the very strong squads of England, France, Germany, or Portugal, which defeated Spain in the Nations League final this Wednesday, the national team has shown consistency and has been at the top of world football for at least four years.

It is because of that beautiful memory from the 2021 edition and the challenge of facing Spain that the enormous expectation generated by the tournament takes shape among Argentine fans. But the reality is that today, its realization seems difficult to achieve.

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