BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Spain’s soccer team downplayed the failure of its country and Argentina to find an alternative venue for the match. “Finalissima” match canceled After the original location of Qatar became untenable due to war, iran war.
Instead of playing against Argentina in Doha on March 27, Spain hastily arranged to play Serbia at home at Villarreal on the same day.
A video posted on the Spanish team’s X account on Friday includes a short sketch depicting a fictional Argentine couple arguing over the husband’s seemingly dumb idea to send a voice message to Spain’s national team coach Luis de la Fuente and ask for tickets to the Spain-Serbia game. When the coach responded positively, her husband’s plan worked.
“Of course, count on tickets, or rather tickets for you and your friends,” de la Fuente told the Argentine fans. “I would have liked to have seen them in another match, but I’m sure it will be a great match this time as well.”
The match between the European and South American champions was called off on Sunday due to Iran’s growing influence. Attacks on neighboring Arab countries In retaliation for continued shelling by the US and Israel.
However, the two teams and European and South American soccer officials were unable to reach an agreement on an alternative venue.
“Me and the Spanish federation have always wanted to play (against Argentina),” de la Fuente told reporters in Madrid after the team list video was posted. “Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be. It has nothing to do with the efforts of the federation and my staff.”
In announcing the cancellation, the Spanish federation said the Spanish federation and UEFA had tried “all possibilities” to play the match at home or at another venue, but to no avail.
UEFA said all other viable alternatives considered, including hosting the tournament in Madrid, which has a large Argentine community, “ultimately proved unacceptable to the Argentine Football Association.”
An option to hold the event in two parts – one in Madrid on March 27 and the other in Buenos Aires ahead of Euro 2028 and Copa America – was also rejected. Argentina had proposed playing the match later this year after the World Cup, but Spain had no available dates.
South American soccer body CONMEBOL said in a statement on Sunday that the Argentine Federation (AFA) had received an offer from UEFA to play the match in Italy on March 27, but the defending World Cup and Copa America champions disputed that the match would take place on March 31.
Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal would have fought in the showcase world cup warm up.
Also on Friday, Spain announced that they will play Egypt in a friendly in Barcelona on March 31st.
Spain, under de la Fuente’s predecessor and current Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique, began using creative videos of coaches to announce their squad list.
Garcia and Mosquera join the team for the first time.
Barcelona goalkeeper Joao Garcia and Arsenal defender Cristian Mosquera have been named to the Spanish national team for the first time.
Both athletes helped the under-23 team win a gold medal at the 2024 Olympics. Garcia joined Barcelona from Espanyol this season, while Mosquera joined the Premier League leaders from Valencia.
Instead of choosing which goaltenders to take out, de la Fuente brought in four goaltenders, with Garcia joining regular starters Unai Simon, David Raya and Alex Remiro.
Osasuna winger Víctor Muñoz and Real Sociedad forward Ander Barrenetxea also represented Spain for the first time.
Zvimendi and Rodri
De la Fuente made an interesting choice by adding Rodri and Martin Zvimendi to his team.
Rodri was a pillar of the team that won the European Championship in 2024, but he has not returned to form since returning from a foot injury last season. It will therefore be interesting to see whether de la Fuente will continue to use the in-form Zvimendi as a starter as the World Cup approaches in June.
squad:
Goalkeepers: Joao Garcia (Barcelona), David Raya (Arsenal), Unai Simon (Athletic Bilbao), Alex Remiro (Real Sociedad).
Defenders: Marc Cucurella (Chelsea), Alejandro Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen), Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid), Pau Kvarsi (Barcelona), Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Bilbao), Dean Huyssen (Real Madrid), Cristian Mosquera (Arsenal), Pedro Polo (Tottenham).
Midfielders: Rodri (Manchester City), Martin Zvimendi (Arsenal), Pedri (Barcelona), Pablo Fornals (Real Betis), Carlos Soler (Real Sociedad), Dani Olmo (Barcelona), Fermin López (Barcelona).
Forwards: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Ferran Torres (Barcelona), Jeremi Pinot (Crystal Palace), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Ander Barrenetxea (Real Sociedad), Victor Muñoz (Osasuna), Alex Baena (Atlético Madrid), Borja Iglesias (Celta Vigo).
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