Spanish attacking midfielder Mikel Merino said on Friday that limiting the danger of Argentine Lionel Messi will be a "huge challenge" for La Roja in the final of the World Cup in North America.

The "Albiceleste" captain was the architect of the defending champions' qualification for the final, scheduled for Sunday in East Rutherford, after providing two assists in the win over England (2-1).

Throughout the tournament, where he shares the top scorer list with Frenchman Kylian Mbappé (8 goals), he has proven that he still maintains an exceptional level at the age of 39.

Merino told reporters at the training center in East Hanover, New Jersey: "It is a huge challenge, and an incredible motivation for me and the entire national team. Being able to play against a team like Argentina, which has previously won this title, makes this match even more important, and I am very happy to experience this moment."

Despite his role as a substitute, the English Arsenal midfielder has been crucial for La Roja, scoring the winning goals against Portugal (1-0) in the round of 16 and against Belgium (2-1) in the quarter-finals.

He added: "I have great confidence in myself and in my abilities, and every time I step onto the field I believe that I can make an impact for the national team. But honestly, it doesn't matter who will be the hero, what matters is that the team wins in the end."

He continued: "When you win a title, it belongs to everyone, not just the eleven players who start the match."

Merino praised the "amazing" talent of Lamine Yamal (19 years old), who will face Messi for the first time in a clash between the past and future of Barcelona.

Merino (30 years old) believes that the final against Argentina will be a "tough match", and that the referee will be required to "control the intensity and frequency of tackles and the number of fouls".

He explained: "The faster the ball moves between us, the less time the opponent has to commit fouls."

Merino, who said he does not clearly remember Spain's first World Cup title in 2010, also noted the admiration he had for the world champions.

He concluded: "To be able to represent our country today and to be those same players for the new generations, for the children watching us, that is something magical."