Messi finally triumphs on the big stage
RIO DE JANEIRO — Two long droughts ended on Saturday at the Copa America final: Argentina won its first major title since 1993 after a 1-0 win against Brazil. And Lionel Messi finally lifted his first major trophy for the national team, filling in one of the biggest gaps in his decorated career.
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 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.
“I can’t cry yet,” Di Maria said after the match. “We dreamed of getting this, and we fought. Many people criticized us and asked us not to come back (to the national team).”
When the match ended, a tearful Messi knelt down and put his hands on his face. Then most of his teammates ran in his direction to celebrate and threw him into the air. Once criticized by Argentina fans for his quietness, he went to the few hundred guests chanting his name at the Maracana and chanted with them. Messi kissed the trophy before lifting it into the air during the presentations.
The match at the Maracana started with some surprises. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni made five changes from the lineup that beat Colombia on penalties in the semifinal.
Gonzalo Montiel, Cristian Romero, Marcos Acuna, Leandro Paredes and Di Maria took the places of Nahuel Molina, Nicolas Tagliafico, Guido Rodriguez and Nicolas Gonzalez.
Brazil, a team recognized for its steadiness, did not make any changes from the team that advanced to the final.
Neymar tried hard with dribbles and passes, but the Selecao barely threatened Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez in the first half. Argentina sat in the back, hoping for counter-attacks.
Brazil coach Tite tried to change the dynamic of the match by replacing defensive midfielder Fred for Roberto Firmino, and managed to do so for much of the second half. But though the Selecao had more ball possession there were few real opportunities.
“It was not the Brazil team it usually is in the first minutes,” defender Thiago Silva said. “When you concede in a match like this, it is hard to come back. In the second half it was only one team trying to play, the other was just stopping the match. But we can’t use excuses. We couldn’t play our game in the first half.”
The title, however, provides the superstar some relief after all the questions throughout his career on his effectiveness playing for the national team.
The South American trophy is a relief for Argentina, which won its last major title when Messi was only 6 years old. Saturday’s victory in Rio gave the team its 15th Copa America title, this time unbeaten, equaling Uruguay’s total. Brazil has won the South American title nine times.
Messi, who has several titles with Barcelona, had reached the final of Copa America three times and lost all of them in 2007, 2015 and 2016. Now, he will have good memories at the Maracana, where Argentina lost the 2014 World Cup final to Germany.