By Alfredo Echenique Lugo
09 Jul 2024, 12:32 PM EDT
The 2024 Copa América is coming to an end and this Tuesday the first finalist of the competition will be defined in a duel between the debutant Canada, who will seek to continue surprising, and Argentina, who wants to defend their title won in 2021.
In the last 10 years, Argentina’s national team has played in two World Cup finals and three Copa America finals. Now, in the United States, it will try to make it to this stage again.
La Albiceleste trusts in their captain Lionel Messi, who will not miss this semi-final for anything and if he wins it he will reach not only his fifth Copa América final, but his 44th final as a professional footballer.
Messi’s four Copa America finals
Messi already knows what it’s like to play in Copa America finals. Although his record has not been the most positive in the four participations he has had in this stage of the continental tournament.
His first final with the Argentine national team was in 2007 at the Copa América, which was played in Venezuela and which the Albiceleste ended up losing 3-0 to Brazil.
The hardest blow for the Argentine captain came in 2015 and 2016 when he lost the two consecutive Copa América finals to Chile. However, in 2021 he got revenge when he beat Brazil at the legendary Maracaná in the final of the continental tournament.
In total, Messi has won four finals, losing three and winning just one. This gap could be reduced in this edition in the United States.
Messi’s history in finals as a footballer
Throughout his more than 20-year career as a footballer, Messi has played in 43 finals between FC Barcelona, PSG, Inter Miami and the Argentine national team.
In total he has won 30 and lost another 13, with FC Barcelona being the team with which he won the most in his career with 23 titles.
The Argentine star’s scoring record in finals is also surprising. Messi has scored 37 goals in the 43 finals he has played in.
Keep reading:
Argentina vs. Canada for the Copa América: where to watch live, lineups and schedule
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