Football Update: Argentina managed to defeat Brazil 1-0 in the final of Copa America 2021 and Lionel Messi’s quest for an international trophy has finally come to an end. After losing 4 major international finals, Messi has finally conquered the international stage with a win against rivals Brazil. The world is busy celebrating Messi’s Copa America 2021 win but it was Angel Di Maria who was the difference for Argentina on the night. The 33-year-old was adjudged man of the match for his heroics. He ran his heart out and scored a goal that will be talked about for ages.
Di Maria has never really had the attention that he deserves because of the teams that he has played in, at Real Madrid there was Ronaldo, at PSG there is the duo of Neymar and Mbappe, and at the international stage, he has Messi as his teammate. It seems as if the shadow of these star players drives him to bring out the best in him.
People don’t really appreciate him much but he has always stepped up when it matters. In the 2015 Copa America, Di Maria scored 2 goals and 3 assists. He scored twice and gave an assist in the semi-final but unfortunately lost the final on penalties. In the first two matches of the 2016 Copa America, he had 1 goal and 2 assists to his name but an injury meant he had to directly feature in the final which they lost on penalties for the second consecutive time. In the 2019 edition, he was used as a substitute but couldn’t really influence things much as Argentina finished at 3rd place.
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In the 2021 Copa America, he has once again lived up to the expectations of his nation. In the initial two matches, he featured as a sub. In the third match of the group stage, he was given a start and managed to assist the only goal of the game. He was used as a sub in the quarter and semi-final of the tournament. Argentina’s coach Lionel Scaloni trusted him to deliver in the final and he didn’t disappoint. He showcased his brilliance with a wonderful first touch and a clam composed chip over the goalkeeper to score the only goal in the final.
Messi deserves to be praised for what he has done throughout his career and in the 2021 Copa America, but when the stakes were high, Di Maria once again rose to the occasion. He might not be as good as Ronaldo or Messi but he has achieved a lot in his football career. He won the 2014 Champions League with a man of the match performance in the final. He was instrumental in PSG’s heroics in the 2020 UCL. He has won various trophies at club level and with the Copa America win, he has in a way completed his trophy cabinet.
