Messi turned the Maracana into the Camp Nou. His football was excellent in the Copa América, discreet in the final against Brazil, but on the 10th he finally won an important title with Argentina after Albiceleste beat Canarinha 1-0 with a goal from Di MarÃa. Rosario forged his world fame by dint of goals (672) and assists (305), also based on titles with Barcelona (34). Although he was a finisher (76) and a passer (53), with Argentina he was haunted by the shadow of defeat, defeated in four finals (2007, 2015 and 2016 in America and 2014 in the World Cup). The frustration is over, as decisive for Albiceleste as for Barça, Messi drove away all the ghosts of him and increased his legend, no less than against the historic Brazil and in the mythical Maracana. Di MarÃa played Ghiggia, and Messi, at 34, already has his title with Argentina.
Argentina:Emiliano Martinez, Montiel, Cristian Romero (Pezzella, 78th minute), Otamendi, Marcos Acuña, Paredes (Guido Rodriguez, 53rd minute), Di Maria (Exequiel Palacios, 78th minute), De Paul, Giovani Lo Celso (Tagliafico, min. 62), Lautaro Martinez (Nicolas Gonzalez, min. 78) and Messi.
BRA Brazil:Ederson Moraes, Thiago Silva, Danilo, Marquinhos, Renan Augusto (Emerson, min. 75), Lucas Paquetá (Gabriel Barbosa, min. 75), Casemiro, Fred (Roberto Firmino, min. 45), Everton (Vinicius Junior, min. 62), Richarlison and Neymar.
Yellow cards Fred (min. 2), Paredes (min. 32), Giovani Lo Celso (min. 50), De Paul (min. 67), Renan Augusto (min. 69), Lucas Paquetá (min. 71), Otamendi (min. 80), Marquinhos (min. 81) and Montiel (min. 88).In soccer, skill and character rule. Also, tenacity. No one will ever be able to dispute the skill and character of the 10, nor his perseverance with Argentina. Rosario was not alone. Scaloni built a solid team in defense, represented by the surprising Dibu MartÃnez in goal, the balance of De Paul and Lo Celso in midfield and, of course, the presence of Messi in attack, chosen as the best player in the Cup, top scorer (four) and assistant (five). Argentina honored its history. At times, he showed football, he always had character and climbed to the top of the podium after 28 years without titles. The last one was in the Copa América in 1993. In between, Argentina had lost two finals against Chile (2015 and 2016) and another two against its great rival Brazil (2004 and 2007).
The classic of the classics of America came to a boil after the appearance of Maradona. Argentina had its particular duel in the RÃo de la Plata after losing the first World Cup (1930) and the first Copa América (1916) against Uruguay. And Brazil, for its part, also focused its rivalry on the Celeste, historical executioner of the Canarinha in 1950, when Ghiggia built the legend of the Maracanazo. Brazil never won a World Cup on home soil, however, they had always been crowned champions of the Americas when they played host. Until Messi’s Argentina appeared and Di MarÃa’s goal.
Brazil’s journey, which was predicted to be devastating before the opening shot of the Copa América, undefeated in official matches since the World Cup in Russia when it fell to Belgium in the quarterfinals, sowed doubts in its land. He thrashed and suffered, he never liked it. La Albiceleste, on the other hand, has gone from darkness to light, has changed defensive fragility for solidity, has been led by Messi, as always in the game but as never in the locker room.
Argentina did not feel weak against Brazil and, from the outset, they asked for the ball in Rio. He tried, at least, from the lineup. Scaloni understood that Brazil was not going to block the Albiceleste and surrounded Messi with a playful midfield with Paredes, Lo Celso, De Paul and Di MarÃa. The two PSG players appeared for Guido RodrÃguez and Nico González, two changes compared to the semifinal duel against Colombia; to which he added three more in the rear: Romero, Montiel and Acuña for Molina, Pezzella and Tagliafico. Agitation on the board of the Argentine coach. Quite the opposite did Tite. The Canarinha coach bet the same eleven as against Peru. And Brazil fell into its own trap again, slow in the movement of the ball, with no more spark than Neymar’s dribbling.
Tite’s Brazil was discussed about its packaging. She won, yes, but she didn’t invite us to dream of something big, much less to remember her plethoric past. It is a pragmatic and serious team, which only rebels against the monotony when the ball lands in Neymar’s boots. The 10, however, had a hard time finding the ball against Argentina. Although the plan of controlling the game through possession did not work for him, the Albiceleste managed to isolate Neymar. The protagonist, in any case, was the tension: in the first quarter of an hour there was one foul per minute.
A rough game, with more nerve than game, could only be broken by an error. De Paul’s deep cross found Di Maria alone against Ederson after Lodi’s error. The Fideo didn’t even flinch. Calmly, at the Maracanã, he caressed the ball over the Manchester City goalkeeper. The goal freed Argentina. So yes, Scaloni’s team was encouraged to rest with the ball. Tite had no choice but to take risks. He broke his double pivot with Fred and Casemiro, and opted for four strikers, with Paquetá as the Madrid player’s spare wheel.
Brazil got into the field of Argentina. Something did not change: the Canarinha continued to depend on the inspiration of Neymar. The 10, as always, did not hide. He asked for the leather and led his teammates towards Dibu MartÃnez’s goal. The Albiceleste goalkeeper resisted, while Neymar grew impatient, increasingly irritated with the referee, quarrelsome with his rivals. Of Messi, meanwhile, almost nothing. Only the tranquility of his teammates when he was looking to sleep the game. He had, yes, the opportunity to make it 2-0. He wasted it. He didn’t regret it. Luck, at last, had been on his side with Albiceleste. As if Rosario had an extra help, the one he had lacked in the four lost finals. You know how the gods are: they don’t help on earth. Maradona died and Messi was able to lift a big title with Argentina.
