Argentina’s captain, Lionel Messi, expressed disappointment over the cancellation of the Finalissima, which he considered a crucial competitive opportunity, as confirmed by a source to ESPN.
The Inter Miami leader was eager to approach the match as a serious final ahead of the World Cup, and he was not involved in the discussions that led to its cancellation, the source indicated.
The anticipated match was set to feature Argentina, the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 winners, against Spain, the UEFA EURO 2024 champions. It was originally scheduled for March 27 in Qatar but was canceled due to the ongoing conflict in the area.
On Sunday, UEFA announced, “After extensive discussions with the organizing authorities in Qatar, it has been determined that, due to the current political situation, the Finalissima cannot be held as planned in Qatar.” They added that while alternatives were explored, each was ultimately deemed unacceptable to the Argentinian Football Association.
CONMEBOL issued a statement indicating that various venues and dates were considered, but UEFA rejected those options. The statement noted that the Argentine Football Association had initially agreed to the cancellation without objection, proposing a new date of March 31. However, UEFA communicated that holding the match just four days later was not feasible, leading to the Finalissima’s cancellation.
In contrast to other reports, Messi played no part in the prolonged negotiations involving UEFA, CONMEBOL, and local organizing committees, as confirmed by the source to ESPN.
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A source stated that the Argentina captain viewed the match as a chance to win the 49th title of his career.
Messi is the most decorated player in football history, adding his latest accolade with Inter Miami in the MLS Cup last December.