CONMEBOL President Declares Argentina, Messi the Finalissima Winner, Spain Bites Back

Spain’s manager has responded to the CONMEBOL president.

The Finalissima between Spain and Argentina was cancelled on Sunday. | Marcelo Endelli–FIFA/Burak Akbulut–Anadolu/Getty Images

Drama and controversy intensifies in the aftermath of Sunday’s cancellation of the Finalissima between Spain and Argentina.

The fixture between the UEFA and CONMEBOL champions was highly anticipated, setting the stage for Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal to face off for the first time competitively. It was originally scheduled for March 27 in Qatar back in December; however, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East made the location unsafe for play.

The two associations each proposed dates and locations for a rescheduled match, yet no agreements could be reached. Argentina rejected Spain’s offer for a match in Madrid, arguing it “would violate the principle of sporting fairness, since it would not be a neutral venue.” Spain later rejected Argentina’s offer to play in Rome on March 31, stating it could only agree to a game on March 27 or 30, ultimately unfeasible dates for Argentina.

In the wake of the failed negotiations, CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez has declared Argentina the rightful winner of the Finalissima, prompting a response from Spain’s manager.

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Alejandro Dominguez Declares Victory

Alejandro Dominguez is in his third term as CONMEBOL president. | Franklin Jacome/Agencia Press South/Getty Images

“If we apply a walkover, Argentina is the two-time champion of the Finalissima,” Dominguez told DSports on Friday.

Responding to Spain’s rejection of the proposed Rome championship match on March 31, Dominguez added: “You have to believe in yourself. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side. And another thing: you have to believe it, the neighbor’s grass is not that green.”

Dominguez later had a conversation with Radio La Red and doubled down on his assertion of victory: “What nationality are you? Argentinian, so congratulations because we're two-time champions of the Finalissima. They didn't even show up.”

Argentina won the inaugural edition in 2022 with a 3–0 win against Italy at Wembley Stadium in London.

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Spain’s Manager Responds to Dominguez

Luis de la Fuente became Spain’s manager in 2022. | Dennis Agyeman / AFP7 via Getty Images

“I always said that we wanted to play this final—always, right from the very first moment,” Spain’s manager Luis de la Fuente said Saturday. “We did everything within our power—absolutely everything; believe us.

“Now, as for what happened afterward [with Dominguez’s claim]—well, everyone offers their own version. Regarding that version, I simply refer back to the statement issued by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, exactly as it stands—and that’s that.

“The match wasn't played, so ... it really comes down to this: two people can’t argue if one of them refuses to, and two teams can’t play if one of them doesn’t want to. I can tell you this much: we wanted to play.”

Still eager for tune-up opportunities ahead of the 2026 World Cup this summer, Lamine Yamal and Spain will now face Serbia in a friendly on March 27 at Villarreal’s Estadio de la Ceramica, while Lionel Messi and Argentina will now face Guatemala on March 31, also on home soil.

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