Sport
After four major tournament finals lost with Argentina, Lionel Messi offers his first title.
Thunder cut at the Maracana! Lionel Messi finally won his first title with Argentina by overcoming Neymar’s Brazil in the Copa America final (1-0), ending his country’s 28-year drought. The fifth was the right one: after four major tournament finals lost with the Albiceleste (World 2014, Copa America 2007, 2015 and 2016), the six-time Golden Ball finally lifted a trophy with his country’s jersey. Carried in triumph by his teammates after the final whistle, Messi, 34, finished top scorer and assist in the tournament (4 goals and 5 assists).
But the hero of the final is called Angel Di Maria: the Paris SG player scored Argentina’s winning goal with a splendid lob after a brilliant opening from Rodrigo De Paul, also excellent at the Maracana. For this gala match, the town hall of Rio had allowed the presence of a few thousand supporters, with a gauge of 10% at the Maracana for the high point of a competition in which all the previous matches had been played behind closed doors in due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which killed more than 530,000 people in Brazil. Having come to Rio especially for the final, the president of Fifa Gianni Infantino was also there.
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A palpable tension for this classico
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni had decided to field a resolutely attacking team, with Di Maria replacing in the last three matches, alongside Messi and Lautaro Martinez in attack. Like everything « superclassico » between the two sacred monsters of South American football, the tension was palpable from the kick-off.
The Seleçao began to impose heavy pressing, with an aggressiveness quickly sanctioned by a yellow card for Fred from the third minute of play. Neymar also wanted to mark his territory immediately, with a blow from the sombrero on his ex-PSG team-mate Lo Celso at the center line (7th). But after a choppy start to the game, with a large number of fouls on both sides, the flash came from Di Maria. Well launched by De Paul on the right at the limit of offside, the Parisian winger picked up speed Renan Lodi before deceiving goalkeeper Ederson with a beautiful lob (22nd).
This goal stunned Brazil somewhat and the Argentinian waves continued to surge, with strikes from Di Maria (28th) and Messi (30th). Tite tried everything for everything by bringing in an additional striker at half-time, Firmino, in place of Fred and the Seleçao regained some momentum. Richarlison was denied a goal for offside (52nd) and stumbled on goalkeeper Martinez (53rd) after a nice opening from Neymar in the area. Gabigol created two chances late in the game (82nd, 86th), but Argentina held on to triumph in the temple of Brazilian football.
With Belgium
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