The curse is over! Messi and Argentina win the Copa América winner’s trophy

At two in the morning, South American football fans were treated to the Copa América final between Argentina and Brazil. The favourites were the Canaries, who had the advantage of a home stadium. However, Lionel Messi broke his curse and won his first national trophy!

Argentina broke the long wait for international success! They managed to beat Brazil in the final of this year’s Copa América and won the championship.

The Brazilians were the favourites, and statistically speaking, everything was going their way. So far, for example, the Brazilians have won every Copa América tournament played on their territory. Now they are experiencing a bitter debut.

For a very long time, Brazil has also not lost a championship on home soil. It can be said that Brazil has also come through this year’s tournament a little more sovereignly than Argentina.

However, anyone who watched the tournament could have guessed that they would not be disappointed by Argentina’s win, and so they were.

Argentina looked purposeful throughout the South American championship, the team was as cohesive and, most importantly, hungry as possible. It was no different for Lionel Messi, who retired from the national team five years ago after losing the final match.

And how did Argentina’s win come about? Messi and co. failed to win their very first game of the tournament, drawing 1-1 with Chile, but they followed it up with 1-0 wins over Uruguay and Paraguay, then defeated Bolivia 4-1.

In the play-offs, Messi and his teammates beat Ecuador 3-0 before beating Colombia 2-1 on penalties in the semi-final and beating Brazil 1-0 in the final.

It should be mentioned that Brazil was visually the better team in the final match, with more shots and more possession of the ball. Argentina, however, was characterised by dedication and the aforementioned teamwork, and their players blocked 6 shots.

Only four shots in the whole match went between the three posts. The only one that opened the net was sent in from a direct kick by Angel Di Maria’s left foot, who scored an exhibition goal.

There was also no glove play, with the Argentines picking up five yellow cards and the Brazilians four.

Lionel Messi was then named the best player of the tournament before the game. In almost all of Argentina’s games he was voted the best player of the match and even after the final, nothing changed the fact that he was the tournament’s top scorer and passer.

Argentina won the Copa América after almost 20 years. The last time they won the tournament was in 1993.

So there could be a huge celebration in Argentina. Messi, who has waited a long time to win the trophy with the national team, will certainly be celebrating. Perhaps no one deserved the national trophy more than him.

Source: Copa América