Pau Cubarsí picks Messi and Argentina for 2026 final

Pau Cubarsí put Lionel Messi at the top of his wish list ahead of the 2026 World Cup, saying he would swap jerseys with the Argentina captain and would like to face Argentina in a hypothetical final. The 19-year-old defender will be playing in his first World Cup next summer, with Spain set to open on June 18 against Cape Verde.

Cubarsí and Messi

When asked which player he would like to exchange jerseys with, Cubarsí answered: “With Messi.” That choice points straight to the matchup he picked for a dream final, too. He named Argentina as the opponent he would want on the other side if Spain gets that far.

The pairing carries extra weight because Messi’s 2026 tournament would be his sixth and final World Cup. Argentina enters as the current world champion after winning in Qatar 2022, while Spain is chasing a second title after lifting the trophy in South Africa 2010.

Spain in Group H

Spain’s route begins in Group H, where it will face Cape Verde on June 18, Saudi Arabia on June 23 and Uruguay on June 27. Cubarsí’s comments land before any of that starts, but they place him inside a Spain squad being discussed as one of the contenders to reach the final.

He is also part of a young Spanish core that includes Lamine Yamal. For Cubarsí, the immediate task is simple: get through group play and survive a path that could only lead to Argentina if both teams win their groups and keep advancing.

Argentina's Group J path

Argentina opens in Group J against Algeria on Tuesday, June 16, at Kansas City Stadium, then plays Austria on June 22 at Dallas Stadium and Jordan on June 27. That schedule sets up the same climb on the other side of the bracket, with Argentina needing to handle its own group before any Spain matchup becomes real.

For Spain, the first checkpoint is June 18. For Cubarsí, the larger picture is already clear: the teenager wants Messi across the line, and he wants Argentina standing between Spain and the trophy.