Lessons and Insights

Just two days remain until the grand finale of the 2026 World Cup. Argentina and Spain have rightfully earned their place in the competition's most important match. They took different paths, but in the crucial moments, they knew how to perform and do what was necessary to overcome their obstacles.

I don't know if we'll see Argentina become back-to-back champions or if Spain will build on their Euro 2024 triumph. What I do know, however, is that both teams offer lessons and insights that I will carry with me as a human being and a coach.

Courage, consistency, conviction, and loyalty. To be faithfully committed to one's beliefs and to act in accordance with them is increasingly rare on a football pitch. Argentina and Spain have remained true to their DNA and consistent in how they display it on the field. This demands courage. Immense courage to avoid deviations when performance is lacking, individual brilliance isn't shining through, or the result is unfavorable.

Unity and mobilization. Representing a national team is far more than just wearing the colors of the flag. It's carrying the dreams of millions who once dreamed of being in a World Cup. It's being a living example on the field of the moral principles and values that supposedly guide a country's culture. It's understanding that unity on the pitch can reflect in the mobilization of a society, even if only for a few hours or a couple of weeks. Argentina and Spain possess an above-average sense of unity and an ability to mobilize on the field for the collective good.

Intelligence and altruism. Both Argentina and Spain boast tactically intelligent coaches. They are not bound by anything other than the best interests of their players and their country. Hence, they've never hesitated to choose player A over player B. De Paul and Lautaro Martínez were substitutes just two days ago. Pedri and Ferran Torres were substitutes in the last two matches. All were called upon and responded affirmatively and selflessly, as expected.

Human leadership. Scaloni and De La Fuente. Two masters in how they've built a strong group from a human perspective, from which their respective ideas and game models developed. Discreet, humble, intelligent. They act like choreographers who create the dance, watch the performance, and then retreat backstage. They know the applause will always be for those who dance. They have egos, but they possess far more brain and heart.