Superstar Messi pays debt to Argentina with Copa America title
The title ended Argentina’s 28-year drought of major trophies, with Messi as the best player with four goals and five assists. The captain also broke the team’s record for international appearances with 151 matches
Argentina finally made Lionel Messi cry with joy.
Ater losing four times in finals, early exits in major tournaments and even a decision to retire from the national team, the superstar celebrated a much-awaited title with Argentina at Saturday’s 1-0 win against Brazil in the Maracana Stadium.
The title ended Argentina’s 28-year drought of major trophies, with Messi as the best player with four goals and five assists. The captain also broke the team’s record for international appearances with 151 matches.
When Uruguayan referee Esteban Ostojich blew the final whistle, Messi knelt down on the pitch and covered his face with his hands.
The next challenge is to win the World Cup in Qatar next year, which would be the first since Maradona took the team to glory in 1986.
Until Saturday, Messi’s titles with Argentina were only the U-20 World Cup title in 2005 and a gold medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
His first frustration at the senior-team level started at age 19 in the World Cup quarterfinals elimination against Germany in 2006. One year later, he saw Brazil beat Argentina 3-0 in the Copa America final.
His next major shot at winning with Argentina came in the 2014 World Cup final against Germany. The 1-0 defeat at the Maracana Stadium in Rio frustrated the star, who was voted the best player of the tournament, though his form was not as impressive as it was at his club.
Chile would crush Messi’s hopes in two Copa America finals, in 2015 and 2016, both on penalties.
Ater the second defeat to Chile, Messi told journalists that the national team was over for him.
“It is not for me. I tried, I think that is it,” he said.
But he returned for South American World Cup qualifiers in which Argentina struggled. He took the team to Russia, but the round-of-16 defeat against France came at a turbulent time for the team.
Messi became more aggressive in the 2019 Copa America, much to the pleasure of Argentinian fans who considered him to be too cold, too European. Under a coach with litle experience, Lionel Scaloni, he was surrounded by young players who got the best of him.
On Saturday Messi kissed the Copa America trophy and lited it at age 34. The biggest gap in his decorated career is now closed.
His first public words ater the title showed how thrilled and relieved he felt.
“What a beautiful madness!,” Messi said in an Instagram post showing him shirtless holding the Copa America at the Maracana’s dressing room. “This is unbelievable! Thank you, God! We are the champions!”
Later at a news conference Messi said his happiness was “unexplainable.”
NO JIBES AND CRITICISM: Whenever Messi walks into the sunset now, he won’t carry with him the jibes and criticism of having failed to win a title for Argentina, his national team.
Angel Di Maria struck in the 22nd minute, off a long ball by Rodrigo De Paul, as he lobbed the ball over goalkeeper Ederson to score the winning goal.
Apart from that strike, which was helped by slipshod defending from Renan Lodi, the Argentines weren’t that successful in breaching the Brazilian defence in the first half.
They had only three shots in the period. De Paul, however, was the shining star in midfield.
Messi himself shot wide off the goal in the 32nd minute as he couldn’t dribble past Brazilian defence completely and shot from outside the box.
The visitors were set back in the 52nd minute as Richarlison neted the ball. However, relief came for Messi & Co soon as the strike was deemed off-side.
Argentina survived anxious moments even ater that as Brazil came close to equalising.
But goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, who had made his international debut only this year and impressed in the semi-finals against Colombia saving three penalty kicks in the shoot-out to help his team enter the final, once again proved to be the hero.
In the 57th minute, Richarlison had an opportunity to draw level from point-blank range.
However, Martinez was up to task as he blocked the shot.