Will Messi Win His First Copa America Title By Beating Brazil?

Neymar Junior wanted to meet Lionel Messi’s Argentina at the Copa America final and he has been served his wish as the Argentines beat Columbia on penalties.

Lionel Messi’s Argentina qualified for the finals on Wednesday after sacking Columbia from the competition on penalties, thereby booking a place in the finals at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Argentina and Brazil have not played each other in the final of the competition since 2007, but the 2021 edition has provided the platform.

Messi has suffered trophy drought with the national team. He lost the 2014 World Cup final, 2015 Copa América and 2016 Copa América Centenario.

Brazil have nine Copa America trophies and they won their last trophy in 2019.

Argentina have won 14 Copa America trophies and won their last in 1993. Under Messi, the Argentines were runners-up in 2015 and 2016.

Elsewhere in Europe, Messi has been in the peak of his game winning six Ballon d’Or titles.

The Argentine has 34 trophies with Barcelona, winning his Ballon d’Or in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2019.

Messi broke the record of most goals in a calendar year scoring 91 goals in 2012. He scored 81 for Barcelona and 12 for Argentina.

He has been able to help Barcelona secure 10 La Liga trophies, four UEFA Champions League trophies,  seven Copa Del Rey, three European Super Cup and three World Club Cup among others.

But in his national team, Messi has struggled to break the jinx. The biggest national trophy he has won for his country was the Under-20 World Cup in 2004 and the Olympic Games Gold Medal in 2008.

Going into the finals against Brazil, the Argentina team do not appear as the favourites, but are likely to put-up surprises.

This may not be the best squad of Argentina that Messi has led, but it appears to be the right squad needed to secure Messi at least a Copa America title.

Brazil defeated Peru by a lone goal to reach the final and had beaten Chile 1-0 in the quarter finals. The team defeated Venezuela on the first match day 3-0, and then Peru, 4-0.

Tite’s side also defeated Columbia 2-1, but ended up 1-1 with Ecuador.

In the group stages, Argentina drew 1-1 with Chile, won Uruguay by a lone goal and Paraguay 1-0. They also won Bolivia 4-1 in the group stages.

Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina defeated Ecuador 3-0 to secure a semi-finals spot and beat Columbia on penalties to reach the finals.