Barcelona Legends Xavi and Mascherano: The Best Final We Could Have Had

The World Cup final between Spain and Argentina this Sunday may be a clash of national colors, but Barcelona legends Xavi Hernandez of Spain and Javier Mascherano of Argentina see the shadows of their former club everywhere. From the youth nurtured in the Catalan giant's academy, La Masia, to Lionel Messi – the Barcelona academy's most brilliant footballer – the club's influence is clearly visible.

Xavi was a cornerstone of the Spanish team during their 2010 World Cup triumph in South Africa, while Mascherano, also a former Barcelona teammate of Messi, played alongside him for the Argentine national team and coached him at Inter Miami until earlier this year. The two commented to Reuters on the upcoming 2026 World Cup final, a match steeped in personal history.

“He’s special, you know? You can’t compare him to anyone. Leo is different, completely different,” said the 42-year-old Mascherano about Messi, adding: “There’s always a surprise because he does so many things that we will never, ever see from another footballer. In the future, it will be difficult to find a player like him. I think it’s impossible.”

Xavi revealed he watched Argentina's 2-1 victory over England in Mascherano's company and could barely comprehend what he was seeing. “We watched the game together and he told me: ‘He’s 39 and what is he doing?’ It’s incredible. In my opinion, he is the best in history. And he still makes a difference on the field. His ambition, his attitude – he is a warrior. Leo is absolutely the best,” the Spaniard asserted.

“Perhaps the team that controls possession will dictate the pace of the game. For me, this is the best final we could have had. Only God knows what will happen,” Mascherano added, with Xavi interjecting: “It’s so difficult to make a prediction.”