Argentina’s win was a particular triumph for Barcelona striker Lionel Messi, who picked up his first ever title in a blue and white shirt after more than a decade of club and individual honours. A star player’s glittering career finally gets the one honor it was missing: a major title with his national team. Lionel Messi ended his wait for a first major international title as Argentina beat Brazil in the Copa America final in Rio's Maracana stadium.
Going into the final Brazil were favourites to pick up the victory but fate was with their bitter rivals. Argentina overcame that difference in level with good strategy, but if you look at the coachs, Argentina has Scaloni, who seems to be someone who knows his team's strength and weakness.
Brazil saw just under 60% of possession in this match, Argentina took the lead early through Di Maria's goal and then Argentina had the most defensive work, but they did it incredibly well with an impeccable plan out of possession that was executed brilliantly in their 4-4-2 shape.
This is where Rodrigo De Paul and Leandro Paredes had major jobs to do, as they had to mark the two Brazilian dangermen in Neymar Jr and Lucas paqueta. Both of completely shut those passing lanes either by fouling or intercepting those. The final option for Brazil was to go long, but the visitors maintained a fairly low defensive line and had Cristian Romero and Nicolás Otamendi (both of whom put in great performances) in central defence, so aerial balls would not have worked well at all. Scaloni made brave decisions starting Montiel on the night who was a beast.
Brazil had more quality on the pitch, but Scaloni’s smart tactical decisions and Tite’s failure to adapt or find a solution proved to be the difference and proved costly, while Argentina defended in unison throughout the match, with even Messi attempting five tackles.
Football is a sport of fine margins, and this was the difference here.
Argentina played as a unit throughout the tournament. They fought hard and fought as a team as if each and every one of them knew it's theirs.
Lionel Messi may not have scored in the final but he was the star of the show for Argentina as he scored four goals and assisted five times. He won player of the tournament and was the top scorer where as Emi Martinez was the best Goalkeeper of the tournament.
Giovani Lo Celso and Rodrigo De Paul have done a great job at protecting Lionel Messi. De Paul and Lo Celso have both been great for Argentina in the centre of the park and both players have the ability to create chances. As such, teams can no longer expect to stop Argentina by marking Messi out of the game. Lo Celso played a brilliant defence splitting pass for Messi in the game against Colombia which ultimately culminated in Lautaro Martinez's opening goal.
De Paul has been an enterprising presence in midfield for Lionel Scaloni's men and has contributed well on both sides of the pitch. Having De Paul and Lo Celso adds more dynamism to Argentina's game. With them on the field, they are a team that can hurt the opposition in a variety of ways.
Lionel scaloni, selector of Argentina, is still in a cloud after winning the Copa América with the albiceleste team. The coach has been able to give the team a twist to win a title, something that the whole country longed for. his substitution's throughout the tournament was impeccable and every time he went to someone, they delivered in the form of papu gomez , palacios ,pezzella and rest of them.
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.
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