In the summer event final, Argentina, the reigning champions, will face Colombia in Florida's Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday in an attempt to earn a record 16th Copa America championship.
These two countries will square off in the highly anticipated match for the first time in the tournament's history, with Argentina gearing up for a record-tying 30th final appearance and Colombia for only their third.
Argentina advanced to the semi-finals on Wednesday, defeating Copa America rookies Canada 2-0. The victory extended Argentina's undefeated streak in all competitions to ten games. Argentina had advanced from the quarter-finals with a nerve-wracking penalty-shootout victory against Ecuador.
After a goal by Julian Alvarez in the first half, Argentine legend Lionel Messi broke the record with a goal in the second half. With 109 goals, Messi has surpassed Ali Daei of Iran to become the second-highest male goalscorer in the history of international football.
Insisting that Argentina's path to the Copa America final has not been a "bed of roses" as many had imagined, head coach Lionel Scaloni has showered his players with plaudits for overcoming "extremely tough" obstacles to reach their third consecutive major tournament final.
FIFA has Argentina ranked number one in the world. They have seen great success in the United States and haven't lost a major tournament knockout match in normal time on American soil since they were defeated by Romania in the 1994 World Cup.
Argentina is now tied with Uruguay on 15 Copa America titles, one win away from an all-time record 16th. With Monday's final being Angel Di Maria's 145th and last game for the national team before he retires, Argentina should have little trouble inspiring themselves. But Messi intends to play on after this summer's competition.
Jefferson Lerma gave Colombia the lead in the 39th minute with a header, and Daniel Munoz, his Crystal Palace teammate, was sent off in stoppage time of the first half. In spite of this, Los Cafeteros heroically neutralized Uruguay's danger and managed to secure a narrow 1-0 triumph in North Carolina.
Born in Buenos Aires Since taking over as Colombia's head coach in July 2022, Nestor Lorenzo has never lost. He feels his team was rewarded for their bravery in defeating Uruguay, a match that was tainted by scandalous scenes at halftime when Uruguayan players got into a mass brawl with fans in the stands.
Colombia, ranked 12th in the world by FIFA, has advanced to the final four of three of the last four Copa America competitions. However, Los Cafeteros, who finished third in both of the tournaments' previous attempts to win, are now getting ready for their first Copa America final since they were crowned champions on home soil back in 2001.
Lorenzo's team will start Monday's main event as underdogs despite Colombia's understandable high spirits following their incredible unbeaten run. Colombia has only defeated Argentina three times in 21 meetings this century, with their most recent victory coming (2-0) in the 2019 Copa America group stage.
Colombia, ranked 12th in the world by FIFA, has advanced to the final four of three of the last four Copa America competitions. However, Los Cafeteros, who finished third in both of the tournaments' previous attempts to win, are now getting ready for their first Copa America final since they were crowned champions on home soil back in 2001.
Lorenzo's team will start Monday's main event as underdogs despite Colombia's understandable high spirits following their incredible unbeaten run. Colombia has only defeated Argentina three times in 21 meetings this century, with their most recent victory coming (2-0) in the 2019 Copa America group stage.
With Julian Alvarez starting in attack with Lionel Messi, who overcame a leg injury to play the entire 90 minutes against Canada, Golden Boot contender Lautaro Martinez, who has scored a tournament-high four goals, is expected to start as a substitute once again.
With Luis Diaz of Liverpool and Jhon Arias of Fluminense filling the flanks, Colombia captain James Rodriguez, who has recorded a Copa America record six assists in five games at this summer's tournament, is expected to stay in the number 10 position.
Argentina, who are now tied with Uruguay on 15, will attempt to win a record-breaking 16th Copa America championship at the Hard Rock Stadium. They would also be winning consecutively after defeating longtime rivals Brazil in the 2021 championship game.
But maybe the most outstanding squad in the Colombian competition stands in their way.
Los Cafeteros, headed by a reinvigorated James Rodríguez, who is undoubtedly the favorite for Player of the Tournament honors, are undefeated in 28 games, setting a new national record. They defeated a highly anticipated Uruguayan team with 10 players in the last four and will undoubtedly provide a tough challenge.
Messi could end his career on a high note by inspiring his nation to three consecutive major tournament victories, a feat previously only accomplished by Argentina when they won three consecutive Copas in 1945, 1946, and 1947—a period when the World Cup was not held. Argentina has already led to glory at the 2021 Copa and the 2022 World Cup.
Messi took some time to get going in this year's Copa America, but on Tuesday, in the team's 2-0 semifinal triumph over Canada, he eventually made his mark by scoring on his 12th attempt of the competition.
