Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest player of all time has ended his last four Copa America outings in heartbreak, including two finals.
Messi is making his fifth attempt at winning the Copa on Sunday with Argentina facing Brazil in the final.
Messi’s Argentina qualified for the finals on Wednesday after sending Columbia home on penalties, to book a place in the finals at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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Argentina and Brazil have not played each other in the final of the competition since 2007, but the 2021 edition has provided the platform.
Messi is yet to lift a trophy with the national team. He lost the 2014 World Cup final, 2015 Copa América and 2016 Copa América Centenário.
For Argentinians, Messi leading the country in Brazil at all is a sort of bonus. After the Copa America Centenario in the United States three summers ago, something seemed to have broken in their beloved captain. The final that ended with Argentina beaten on penalties, saw Messi announce he would be retiring from internationals.
“I think it is best for everyone,” he said, prompting a noisy public – and successful – campaign to persuade him that he was wrong to imagine he knew what was best for everyone.
The last time Argentina won their last Copa America title in 1993, their current star, Lionel Messi, was just six years old.
Since that achievement, Argentina and Messi have achieved one disappointment after another. The Argentine star now plans to break his jinx with his country in this year’s edition of the Copa America.
Messi, 34, hopes to achieve his first major title with Argentina, whether by winning the Copa America this year, or the World Cup in 2022.
Winning the World Cup is most likely to elevate him in the eyes of many around the world to the ranks of his late compatriot, Diego Maradona, the 1986 world champion.
Messi has won a World Cup with his country, but with the under-20 squad in 2005. He also won the Olympic gold in Beijing in 2008.
The closest Messi has come to winning the World Cup (for adults) was in the 2014 World Cup final against Germany (0-1) at the Maracana stadium, Brazil. The next edition of the Copa America will be hosted by Brazil.
Messi, on the other hand, has won 35 titles in his rich career with Barcelona, but the most illustrious son of the city of Rosario is still doomed with his country.
He would still be ruining three missed opportunities at Copa America final, in 2007 against Brazil (0-3), and twice against Chile on penalties in 2015 and 2016.
Brazil have nine Copa America trophies. The last time they won a trophy was in 2019.
Argentina have won 14 Copa America trophies and won their last in 1993. Under Messi, the Argentines were runners-up in 2015 and 2016.
In the current campaign, the Argentine captain has promised the Albiceleste will “continue fighting” in their quest to win a first major trophy in almost three decades at the Copa America in Brazil.
“We are prepared to compete and we are going to continue fighting to win every game.
Argentina’s last major tournament success came at the 1993 Copa America in Ecuador, where Gabriel Batistuta fired them to a 2-1 win over Mexico in the final.
Messi was a member of the Albiceleste teams that finished runners up at the 2014 World Cup and the 2015 and 2016 editions of the Copa America.
The 34-year-old said earlier that winning a title with Argentina was his “biggest dream”.
Now he could cross another milestone in his career by winning the Copa America trophy with his national team, something that has eluded the world’s best player.
Messi said he is more thrilled than ever at the prospect of winning an elusive international trophy at the Copa America final.
Messi has been in unstoppable form in Brazil, racking up four goals and five assists in the tournament so far.
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