Argentina has won its first major title since 1993 and Lionel Messi finally lifts his first major trophy for the national team.
In the keenly contested football match, Argentina beat Brazil 1-0 in Saturday’s Copa America final to secure the national team’s first after 28 years trophy drought.
Argentina’s winning goal at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro came in the 22nd minute after Rodrigo de Paul made a long pass to PSG’s Angel di Maria.
The 33-year-old veteran striker counted on some sloppy defending from left-back Renan Lodi to take control and lob it past goalkeeper Ederson.
It was only the third goal Brazil conceded throughout the tournament.
Brazil piled on the pressure in an exciting second half but even with five strikers on the field, they could not get an equaliser against an Argentine defence line heavily protected by the outstanding Rodrigo De Paul, as the final grew more competitive.
Argentina’s win was a particular triumph for Barcelona striker Lionel Messi, who picked up his first-ever title in the Argentine jersey after decades of the club and individual honours.
When the match ended, a tearful Messi was thrown into the air by some of his joyous teammates, as his former teammate Neymar, hugged him in tears likewise.
Messi finished the tournament’s joint-top goalscorer with four goals and was elected joint-best player along with Neymar.
But he was quiet throughout and uncharacteristically missed a golden opportunity to wrap the game up with two minutes remaining.
When the final whistle went, Argentina TV declared “Argentina Champions, Lionel Messi Champion!”
The victory was Argentina’s 15th Copa America triumph and means they draw level with Uruguay as the all-time leading winners.
Their win extended their sequence of undefeated matches to 20 under Lionel Scaloni and handed Brazil their first competitive defeat since they lost to Belgium in the quarter-finals of the 2018 World Cup.
As per beinsports, The final was the first match of the tournament, which was originally due to take place last year, to allow in fans as 7,800 — a tenth of the Maracana capacity — took their seats after authorities partially lifted pandemic restrictions.
