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Argentina ended their near three-decade wait for a trophy by beating Brazil 1-0 in the Copa America 2021 final at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
Angel Di Maria applied a sumptuous finish to a Rodrigo de Paul delivery to lift the ball past Brazil keeper Ederson for the only goal of the game. In response, the hosts failed to carve out enough scoring opportunities and generally looked insipid in attack.
La Albiceleste defended stoutly to hold on to their slender lead. Lionel Messi could have sealed the deal for Argentina on the cusp of full-time but lost his footing while rounding Ederson. However, the miss did not prove costly, as Argentina saw out the win to end a long trophy drought.
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On that note, let's have a look at the ten interesting stats from the Albiceleste's win over Brazil in the Copa America 2021 final:
#10 Exactly five years after Cristiano Ronaldo won his first major international trophy for Portugal, Lionel Messi does it for Argentina
Lionel Messi ended a long wait for an elusive international trophy with Argentina when La Albiceleste prevailed by a solitary goal in the Copa America 2021 final.
Earlier, Messi had ended up on the losing side in four consecutive major tournament finals - thrice at the Copa America (2007, 2016, 2015) and once at the FIFA World Cup (2014).
Making his tenth appearance at a major tournament (six at the Copa America and four at the FIFA World Cup), the Argentine had his first taste of silverware. Incidentally, that happened exactly five years after his arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo won his first major title - the 2016 Euros with Portugal.
At 34, Messi is approaching the fag end of his illustrious career, replete with numerous individual and team honors in club football. He has now added a maiden international trophy to his impressive trophy cabinet.
#9 Lionel Messi is named the Player of the Tournament before the final
Staying with Lionel Messi, the 34-year-old has been a man on a mission at Copa America 2021. With four goals and five assists in the tournament, Messi finished at the top of both leaderboards.
Although the Argentina captain failed to score in the final against Brazil, he was named the Player of the Tournament even before the match kicked off.
In the process, Messi, making his record-equalling 34th appearance in the competition, ended his triumphant campaign by recording the most assists by a player in a single edition of the Copa America.
#8 Angel Di Maria scores his first Argentina goal in 13 games spanning three years
Returning to Argentina's starting line-up for the final against Brazil, PSG winger Angel Di Maria scored the only goal of the game in the first half, which turned out to be the difference between the two teams.
In the process, Di Maria scored his first Argentina goal in 13 games spanning three years, last netting for Albiceleste in the 2-4 Round-of-16 defeat against eventual champions France at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
The goal helped the 33-year-old snap the longest scoring drought of his international career.
#7 Argentina score in a final for the first time since 2005
Argentina scored for the first time in six finals, which helped them beat Brazil to win the Copa America 2021 title.
Argentina had drawn a blank in their last four major finals - 2007, 2015, 2016 Copa America athe 2014014 FIFA World Cup - losing all three games.
Argentina scored in the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup final against Brazil in Frankfurt but lost the game 1-4.
#6 Argentina score against Brazil in Brazil in a Copa game for the first time since 1979
Following a cagey start, Argentina scored the only goal of the Copa America 2021 final against Brazil.
That marked the first time La Albiceleste scored at the home of their arch-rivals in a Copa America game since 1979. Argentina had lost that game 2-1, though.
After failing to score against the Selecao in three subsequent Copa America games in Brazil, Argentina were fourth time lucky thanks to Di Maria's strike at the Maracana Stadium on Saturday.
#5 Angel Di Maria is the first Argentine player to score in a Copa final since 2004
When Angel Di Maria opened the scoring against Brazil in the Copa America 2021 final, he became the first Argentine player to score in a Copa final in 17 years since Cesar Delgado.
Argentina led twice in the Copa America 2004 final against Brazil, thanks to strikes from Kily Gonzalez and Cesar Delgado. However, Adriano scored a 94th-minute equalizer for Brazil to force extra time before the Selecao won the game 4-2 in the shootout.
#4 Angel Di Maria is the first player to win the Man of the Match in a Champions League and Copa America final
Staying with Angel Di Maria, the 33-year-old was the Man of the Match in the Copa America 2021 final.
Seven years ago in the 2014 Champions League final, Di Maria was the Man of the Match in Real Madrid's win over Atletico Madrid. That made the Argentine the first player ever to win the Man of the Match in a Champions League as well as a Copa America final.
Although Di Maria did not score in that Champions League final, he had put in a fabulous performance to win the Man of the Match award.
#3 Emiliano Martinez becomes the first Argentina goalkeeper to win the Copa America Golden Glove award
Emiliano Martinez has had a tournament to remember at Copa America 2021. Making his Argentina debut this year, Martinez played with composure and experience.
With his clean sheet against Brazil in the final, the 28-year-old registered a tournament-leading fourth clean sheet in the Copa America 2021 to win the Golden Glove award. In the process, he became the first Argentine player to do so since the award's inception.
Earlier in the tournament, Martinez produced three saves in Argentina's penalty-shootout win over Columbia.
#2 Argentina end their 28-year title drought
After defeats in four Copa America finals (2004, 2007, 2015, 2016), two FIFA Confederations Cup finals (1995, 2005) and one FIFA World Cup final (2014), Argentina beat Brazil 1-0 in the Copa America 2021 final to end their near three-decade title drought.
In the 2004, 2015 and 2016 Copa America finals, Argentina were a penalty shootout away from winning the title but fell to Brazil (2004) and Chile (2015, 2016).
#1 Argentina beat Brazil in a Copa final for the first time in 84 years, join Uruguay for most Copa titles
With their solitary-goal win against Brazil in the Copa America 2021 final, Argentina beat their arch-rivals in a Copa final for the first time in 84 long years. The win meant La Albiceleste went level with Uruguay (15) for most Copa America titles.
Since that Copa win in 1937, Argentina have faltered against Brazil in the 2004 and 2007 finals before breaking through at the Maracana Stadium on Saturday.
