Copa America – Messi finally breaks the contemplation and offers Argentina their first coronation in 28 years

This time, Lionel Messi is finally holding him! After five failures in the final, the Argentine finally won his first major title with Albiceleste by winning the Copa America 2021, defeating the Brazilian host in the final (1-0). If the Barcelona player in general missed the final, then his partners were there, such as top scorer Di Maria and the amazing De Paul. At the end of a meeting more volatile than fouls than motivated by offensive moves, despite a voluntary Neymar, Argentina presented themselves with their first title in 28 years and the fifteenth championship in their history in the Copa America, equaling the record for Uruguay.

The first strike, the first goal for Argentina

We were expecting a great match, a match, a confrontation between the two big stars, Neymar and Messi, but we didn’t have any of that. Rather, it was the errors and the harsh contact that multiplied. After twenty minutes of playing, there were already eleven mistakes in one shot! Despite everything, Brazil seemed to master their theme, but this game is still very slow and depends on the creativity of Neymar. But the Parisian star, who never stopped being daring and trying, would be very lonely. Decisive in the quarter-finals, Lucas Paqueta missed the final, doubled his mistakes and mistakes (6). But Brazil dominated, until Renan Lodi’s big mistake.

While Argentina looked on the verge of collapse, Atletico did not appreciate the long net from De Paul and missed his intervention. A fatal mistake that Angel Di Maria, a small surprise from Scaloni’s eleven, made perfect use of it (21) to open the scoring with the Argentine’s first shot of the match. A goal, the first for Paris with the national team in three years, which hurt the Brazilians badly. Returning in the second half with better intentions, the Seleção quickly thought it was a tie (52) but Richarlison was logically pointed out in an offside position.

Two minutes later, the Everton striker marvelously spoiled Neymar’s pass by preferring strength over precision, facilitating the intervention of Martinez (54th place). The Aston Villa goalkeeper was not used much in this encounter, but he was decisive when needed, with this match-ending display against Gabriel Barbosa (87) in one of Brazil’s rare dangerous positions in the last half. – hour. While Brazil ended up with six strikers…

Messi misses the final but Messi is sacred

Ironically, compared to the picture we often – and rightly – give Argentina, through its defense the Albiceleste team went in pursuit of the 15th Copa America. Romero and Otamendi were passive, even if the interventions of the Benfica player are limited at times, Montiel will be flawless until the entry of Vinicius and Acuna will be very strong. But the player of the match was undoubtedly Rodrigo de Paul. Tirelessly at the heart of the match, decisive in Di Maria’s goal with a perfect opening in Brazil’s defense, the Udinese player set the pace for this Argentine team, in the offensive phase as in the defensive phase. In an unannounced midfield duel in favor of the Argentines, he dominated the midfield against the extinct Casemiro.

And again it is he who bids Messi to take the break (88th), an offer inexplicably lost by “Pulga”. As a symbol of his end, in which he will never be a major player. Finding little in the first period, he was going to try to show himself more after the break but he didn’t always make the right choices, like this action after Brazil’s completely failed recovery and where he forgets Di Maria alone to come and close the pivot (50).

But the Albicéleste captain, who wore it throughout the competition (he was also named player of the year tied with Neymar), will retain only the trophy he won from that final, his first for Argentina. Except for the 2008 Olympics. At 34, Messi knew it might have been his last chance to win the Copa America and he did. On Brazilian soil, which no other country in the history of the competition has achieved. To end 28 years without a trophy for Argentina. But Messi is used to cracking codes. And here he is, at last, holy with Argentina.