Barcelona legend Lionel Messi could face Lamine Yamal in a final

Tuesday night was a joyful one for FC Barcelona fans as they saw Lamine Yamal put up a stunning display in the semifinals of the UEFA Euro 2024 helping Spain beat Kylian Mbappe’s France.

The 16-year-old wonderkid scored a spectacular long-range goal on the night in Munich, helping La Roja come back from a goal down to beat the 2018 FIFA World Cup winners.

Hours after Yamal and Spain booked their place in the Euro finals, Barcelona legend Lionel Messi and his Argentina national team defeated Canada in the semifinals of the 2024 Copa America.

Indeed, La Albiceleste secured a spot in the Copa America final with a 2-0 victory, with Messi on the scoresheet.

Messi vs Yamal incoming in 2025?

This means that there is now a distinct possibility that Lionel Messi could end up facing Lamine Yamal on the international stage next year.

Indeed, should Spain go ahead and win the Euro 2024 and Argentina lift the Copa America 2024, the two teams will lock horns with each other in the ‘Finalissima’.

Finalissima or the ‘CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions’ is a match that pits the winners of the Copa America against the European Championship holders.

The competition was relaunched in 2022 after a hiatus as Italy (Euro 2020 winners) faced off against Argentina (2021 Copa America winners) at Wembley Stadium in London.

If Spain manage to win the Euros this weekend and Argentina retain their Copa America title, the two nations will come face to face in the next Finalissima.

Barcelona fans would be overjoyed at the possibility of Yamal facing Messi – two of the best products of the club’s academy, one in the fledgling stages of his career and the other one of the greatest ever to have played the game.

Earlier this month, pictures of an infant Yamal with Messi went viral. Now, there is a possibility that the two might end up facing each other on the field. The details of the next ‘Finalissima’ are yet to be finalised.

Before that though Spain have the task of beating one of England or the Netherlands in the Euro finals, while Argentina will have to overcome the winners of Uruguay vs Colombia.