Spain hero makes bold World Cup final prediction that might be bad news for Lionel Messi

Former Spain international Gaizka Mendieta reckons his nation face an unpredictable foe in Argentina ahead of the World Cup final.

However, that didn’t stop the former Barcelona midfielder making one bold call before the showpiece event at the MetLife Stadium.

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It could have been England facing the Spanish, who have impressed with their work off the ball just as much on it this tournament.

Predictable but efficient Spain

A stoic defence has shipped just one goal – a header from Belgium’s Charles De Ketelaere in the 2-1 quarter-final win – on the way to Sunday’s showpiece.

Meanwhile, a well-drilled attack, with Mikel Oyarzabal leading the line and bringing others into play has got them all the way.

But while the Spanish and the English keep to similar set-ups in most matches, Argentina, despite running the team around Lionel Messi, are a little less formulaic, making them a trickier contest.

Gaizka Mendieta speaking with talkSPORT via Lucky Rebel NFL Odds said: “Spain, we are more predictive in the way we’re going to play. And you can prepare the game. OK, these guys are good at this, are good at that.

“With Argentina, you don’t know. I mean, you might think they go passing and they don’t go passing and then they go long balls and they go short balls and they go to Messi crossing [the ball and] set-pieces.

“They’re so unpredictable. So in terms of football, I would have preferred England in the final for Spain.”

Mendieta’s World Cup final prediction

Asked what he thought the score would be in the World Cup final, Mendieta added: “I think you go 2-1 for Spain.

“Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal will score, of course. And Unai Simon will save a penalty.”

That last part could well set alarm bells ringing for Messi.

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Lionel Messi’s penalty record

The Argentine icon has already missed two penalties at the World Cup.

His first came in the 2-0 win over Austria, while the second came in their controversial victory against Egypt.

Those missed opportunities saw him not only become the first player to miss two spot-kicks in a single edition, he’s also the the player to have missed the most at World Cups (4) having taken the most (8).

Even though he has this record, it’s likely his loyal teammates will entrust him with duties from 12 yards should they get the chance.

Especially after Kylian Mbappe took the lead in the race for the Golden Boot with his two goals against England in the third-place play-off.

However, if, as Mendieta suggests, Messi misses again he will extend a horror record that could blemish his legacy.

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Mendieta’s prediction shouldn’t be a surprise given the two shot-stoppers are, he believes, the best at a tournament where goalkeepers have stood tall.

Top shot-stopper

A penalty expert in his playing days, missing just three of the 35 he took, the ex-Middlesbrough star wouldn’t fancy staring either down from 12 yards.

He told talkSPORT: “Yeah, I don’t think I would want [to face] any of them. Both of them are excellent goalkeepers, very good on penalty shootouts.

“I think we’ve seen also a World Cup where goalkeepers have been important, including some goalkeepers that have not been, you know, for most of us, would not have been in the books.

“But I think again, as I said, if we analyse the both teams, for me, they’re both that deserve to be there. If we analyse player by player, probably we have best players per position in terms of looking at the tournament as well.

“And the goalkeepers certainly are special characters both in both sides as well.”