Messi reportedly backed Argentina call that led to key pre-World Cup test being cancelled

According to Jacobs, UEFA initially attempted to salvage the event by relocating it to Spain.

One proposal involved staging the Finalissima at the Santiago Bernabeu with a 50:50 split of supporters between Spain and Argentina.

A second plan suggested turning the match into a two-legged tie, with the first leg in Madrid on March 27 and the return fixture in Buenos Aires during a later international window before Euro 2028 and the Copa America that same year. Both options were rejected.

Jacobs reports that Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni refused to play the game and sources also indicated that Messi opposed the contingency plans.

The Argentina Football Association was also said to have insisted on receiving the full hosting fee originally agreed for Qatar, despite the fact that the relocation would have reduced ticket revenue and sponsorship income. Spain, by contrast, reportedly accepted both proposals even if it meant earning less from the event.

Spain’s 6–1 win over Argentina is still part of the thinking

One factor behind Argentina’s reluctance to play in Madrid may date back to one of their heaviest defeats in the last 10 years.

Spain beat a Messi-less Argentina 6–1 in an international friendly in March 2018, only months before that year’s World Cup in Russia.

The result exposed defensive issues within Jorge Sampaoli’s squad and became a major talking point in the build-up to the tournament.

According to Jacobs, Argentina’s coaching staff believe that result disrupted their preparation for the 2018 World Cup. With the 2026 tournament approaching, they were unwilling to risk another high-profile defeat or disrupt their carefully planned schedule.

As a result, what was supposed to be Argentina’s biggest test before the next World Cup has now disappeared from the calendar entirely.

They were also expected to face the Qatar national team in a separate friendly after the Finalissima, but with the main event now cancelled, those plans are also unlikely to go ahead and no replacement friendlies have been announced.