Former Spain manager Vicente del Bosque has urged the national team not to underestimate Argentina ahead of the World Cup final.
He described the South American side as a “real nuisance” and emphasized the need for caution.
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Del Bosque, who led Spain to World Cup glory in 2010, shared his thoughts in an interview with El País.
“Argentina are a tough team to play against – a real nuisance, if I may use the word – and they know exactly what they need to do,” he said.
The 2010 champion pointed to Argentina’s comeback victory over England as evidence of their quality.
“I see the final as favouring Spain, but they need to be wary of the Argentinians, given how difficult they are to face and their experience,” Del Bosque added.
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Andrés Iniesta, who scored the winning goal for Spain in the 2010 final, also expressed his hope for the current squad.
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“I really want this generation – these players – to become champions and for us to get another star, the second one,” he told El País.
Iniesta, who played alongside Lionel Messi at Barcelona, praised the Argentina captain’s longevity.
“I’d say he’s pretty much the same as always: making a difference, playing a leading role, providing assists, scoring goals – doing what he’s done his whole life,” he said.
He attributed Messi’s continued excellence at age 39 to his discipline.
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“I believe the reason he’s still active at his age is that he continues to do so many things right – the way he takes care of himself, his dedication to the sport, the people around him, and the fact that he maintains the passion and mindset to keep improving both personally and as a teammate,” Iniesta added.
