The stage is set for a potentially epic finale as Lionel Messi and Argentina look to defend their Copa America title against a resilient Colombia side at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium on Monday.
The upcoming showdown marks the first-ever Copa America final between these two South American giants.
Chasing a record-extending 16th Copa America title, Argentina will be making their 30th appearance in the title decider.
Meanwhile, Colombia will be competing in the showpiece event for just the third time in their history, but they’ll fancy their chances of hoisting the coveted title for the second time.
All eyes will be on Messi as the footballing world eagerly anticipates what could be his last major tournament. The Balon d’Or holder will be aiming to add another chapter to his legendary career with a Copa America triumph.
Fans across the continent and beyond will be tuning in for what promises to be a blockbuster finale. For those seeking a front-row seat to the action, Copa America final tickets are available at seatsnet.com.
Argentina out to defend the crown
Argentina continued their relentless march towards another major tournament title with a commanding 2-0 victory over Copa America newcomers Canada.
The win saw the defending champions extend their unbeaten streak to ten matches in all competitions, propelling them into the final, where they will be eager to secure a historic third consecutive major trophy.
Messi struggled to make a telling contribution in the nervy penalty shoot-out victory over Ecuador in the quarter-final and even missed the opening spot kick.
However, the 37-year-old redeemed himself with a record-breaking second-half strike against Canada, overtaking Iran’s Ali Daei to become the second-highest male goalscorer in international football history with 109 goals.
Messi’s historic strike and Julian Alvarez’s early opener proved to be enough to see off a spirited Canadian side.
The Argentine skipper’s opening goal of the tournament means he has now scored in six editions of the Copa America, including the last five in a row (2007, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021 and 2024).
Argentina have been dominant on American soil since their heartbreaking World Cup exit at the hands of Romania in 1994.
La Albiceleste have been a force to be reckoned with and are still unbeaten in the knockout round of a major tournament in the United States.
The World Cup title holders are now just one win away from an unprecedented 16th Copa America title, which will cement their status as the most successful nation in the history of the tournament.
They will be confident of success against Colombia as they have won 26 of their previous 43 meetings with Los Cafeteros across all competitions, including a penalty-shootout victory in the 2021 Copa America semi-finals.
Argentina’s formidable defence has been instrumental in their success thus far. Lionel Scaloni’s side has conceded just one goal throughout the tournament, keeping a clean sheet in all four remaining outings.
However, their reliance on second-half goals could be a concern against a resilient Colombia side.
Three of their four wins within 90 minutes have yielded an identical 2-0 scoreline, yet the Argentines have notoriously struggled for first-half goals.
Only two of their eight goals in the tournament have come before the break.
Unstoppable Colombia keen to make history
Colombia claimed a hard-fought 1-0 win over Uruguay in the Copa America semi-final, with a solitary header from Jefferson Lerma ensuring victory and a place in the history books for Los Cafeteros.
The victory extended their unbeaten run to 28 games across all competitions, cementing their place in the showpiece event in Miami.
Ironically, Colombia’s remarkable unbeaten streak, a new record for their longest-ever sequence without defeat in the nation’s history, started after a 1-0 defeat to Argentina in a World Cup qualifier in February 2022.
Since then, Los Cafeteros have been on a relentless march, accumulating an impressive tally of 22 wins and six draws across all competitions.
Ominously for the Colombians, that defeat forms part of their three-game winless run against La Albiceleste (D1, L2), though there’s a silver lining.
Colombia’s last victory against Argentina was in the 2019 Copa America, which is also their only win against the 15-time continental champions since 2007 (D4, L7).
Lerma headed Colombia into a 39th-minute lead against Uruguay before Crystal Palace teammate Daniel Munoz was sent off in first-half stoppage time.
Despite that, Los Cafeteros valiantly quelled the threat of Uruguay and held on to claim a slender 1-0 victory in North Carolina.
Colombia’s head coach, Nestor Lorenzo, has been instrumental in the nation’s resurgence, remaining undefeated since taking the reins in July 2022.
The Buenos Aires-born tactician hailed his team’s courage and resilience in a victory that was overshadowed by disgraceful scenes at full-time, as Uruguayan players were involved in a mass brawl with supporters in the stands.
Ranked 12th in the world by FIFA, Colombia have reached the Copa America semi-final in three of the last four editions of the tournaments.
After finishing third in 2016 and 2021, Los Cafeteros are on course to better their record from two of the last three tournaments as they prepare for their first showpiece appearance since their title triumph in 2001.
The road to the final has been a testament to the team’s resilience and tactical acumen under Lorenzo’s leadership.
Colombia’s unbeaten run has catapulted them to the forefront of South American football, but they will enter Monday’s final as underdogs against the reigning champions.
The odds are firmly stacked against them, considering they’ve only beaten Argentina three times in 21 games this century, including their most recent victory in the group stage of the 2019 Copa America.
If there ever was a moment for Colombia to turn around their abysmal head-to-head fortunes, it’s now as they head into Monday’s showdown in their best-ever run of form.
Sao Paulo veteran James Rodriguez has been the driving force behind Lorenzo’s rampaging troops.
The former Real Madrid playmaker has enjoyed a superb tournament, registering a goal and six assists to carry his team to the final.
Rodriguez leads all players for chances created at this tournament (17), while his six assists are the most any player has managed at a single edition since Opta data began in 2011, surpassing Messi’s five in 2021.
Team news & potential line-ups
Argentina came through the semi-final contest against Canada unscathed, so Scaloni could name an unchanged starting line-up for the final, with Angel Di Maria set to have his last dance on the international stage.
Lautaro Martinez has scored a tournament-high four goals and is poised to win the Golden Boot, but he could start the final as a substitute once again, with Messi and Julian Alvarez leading the line.
Meanwhile, Daniel Munoz will be the only absentee for Colombia after his dismissal in the semi-finals, so Santiago Arias is set to start at right-back.
Argentina potential starting line-up
(4-4-2): Emiliano Martinez; Gonzalo Montiel, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Tagliafico; Angel Di Maria, Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister; Lionel Messi, Julian Alvarez.
Colombia potential starting line-up
(4-2-3-1): Camilo Vargas; Santiago Arias, Davinson Sanchez, Carlos Cuesta, Johan Mojica; Richard Rios, Jefferson Lerma; Jhon Arias, James Rodriguez, Luis Diaz; Jhon Cordoba.
