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It has been a surreal Copa America 2021 tournament, despite the two strongest teams on the continent - Brazil and Argentina - set to contest the title match at the Maracana on Saturday.
For one, the 47th edition of international football's oldest tournament - older than even the FIFA World Cup - has been played behind closed doors for the first time because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Secondly, the original tournament - Copa America 2020 - was slated to be hosted jointly by Colombia and Argentina. However, owing to political protests in Colombia and Argentina experiencing a spate of COVID-19 cases, the tournament was shifted to Brazil at the 11th hour and renamed Copa America 2021.
Moreover, for the first time since 1993, when CONMEBOL first invited teams outside the federation to participate in the Copa America, the 2021 edition of the competition has featured no participants from outside the South American continent.
Now coming to Copa America 2021, the two continental heavyweights - Brazil and Argentina - topped their respective groups, garnering ten points apiece from their four games while conceding only twice.
The Selecao then eked out solitary-goal wins over Chile and Peru to reach their 21st Copa final, while Argentina qualified for the title match for a record-extending 29th time after beating Ecuador 3-0 and Colombia in a penalty shootout.
Brazil and Argentina have one of the most storied rivalries in international football, meeting more than 100 times in all competitions over the years, including friendlies. On that note, let's have a look at what happened in the last five competitive meetings between the two teams.
Spoiler Alert; Argentina are winless in their last five competitive games against Brazil.
#5 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifier (Belo Horizonte) - Brazil 0:0 Argentina
Brazil and Argentina met for the first time in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Conmebol qualifiers in the sixth round of qualifying games.
With Argentina leading Brazil by two points in the points table, this game offered the Selecao a chance to capitalize on their home advantage and usurp their great rivals. But that was not to be, as La Albiceleste held firm to ensure the game in Belo Horizonte ended all square.
Brazil's attack was so insipid and listless that the home crowd booed Dunga's men and cheered for Argentina. The Albiceleste conjured the best of scoring opportunities, with Julio Cruz hitting the woodwork. Lionel Messi almost snatched a winner in injury time but sent his effort narrowly over.
Eventually, Argentina had to settle for a share of the spoils. The result meant La Albiceleste and Brazil stayed second and fourth, respectively, in the points table.
#4 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifier (Rosario) - Argentina 1:3 Brazil
The fortunes of the two teams turned by the time they met in Round 15 of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Conmebol qualifiers.
Argentina suffered a chastening 1-6 defeat to Bolivia at high-altitude La Paz and were coming into this blockbuster clash off a 2-0 defeat at Ecuador. Meanwhile, Dunga's Brazil, despite playing an unpopular brand of football, were on the cusp of qualification, needing a win at the home of their arch-rivals to seal their berth at South Africa 2010.
Despite Argentina dominating the game's opening exchanges in Rosario, it was Luisao who put Brazil in front midway through the first half. Five minutes later, more lackluster defending from the Albiceleste meant they were two down, with Luis Fabiano scoring Brazil's second.
Argentina sought a response, with Diego Maradona throwing Sergio Aguero into the fray at the start of the second half. Moments after Fabinho went close to making it 3-0, Jesus Datolo, making his first Argentina start, scored a stunner to reduce arrears on the night. But Brazil soon restored their two-goal lead when Kaka played Fabinho in for his second.
Despite Lionel Messi asking stern questions of the Brazil defense, the Selecao hung on to confirm their place at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
#3 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifier (Buenos Aires) - Argentina 1:1 Brazil
With both Brazil and Argentina commencing their campaigns for the 2018 FIFA World Cup with identical 2-0 defeats, something had to give when the two heavyweights locked horns in the third round of games.
Argentina, without the talismanic Lionel Messi, started with an attacking front three of Gonzalo Higuian, Angel Di Maria and Ezequiel Lavezzi.
The hosts brightly at a packed Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, with Higuain shooting straight at the Brazil keeper, while Angel Di Maria fired narrowly wide after a piercing run.
Just as Brazil were beginning to find their rhythm, Argentina's front three combined to devastating effect to conjure the opener: Di Maria played in Higuain, who crossed for Lavezzi for the easiest of tap-ins.
With Argentina failing to build on their lead, Douglas Costa made an immediate impact off the bench, heading against the woodwork before Lima scored off the rebound.
David Luiz was sent off in the 88th minute, but there was very little time to capitalize on their home advantage as Argentina remained without a win after three games.
#2 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifier (Belo Horizonte) - Brazil 3:0 Argentina
By the time the two teams met for the second time in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign, consecutive draws and a defeat to Paraguay meant Argentina, without Messi, were sliding down the points table. But things were about to get worse for the Albiceleste in Belo Horizonte.
A rampant Brazil, leading the Conmebol table, ran riot, piercing holes in a porous Argentina defense at will and scoring thrice without reply. Neymar played in Gabriel Jesus in the 24th minute for Brazil's opener before the former Barcelona star scored his 50th international goal to double the hosts' advantage on the cusp of half-time.
Despite continuing to dominate proceedings, Brazil eased off and scored just once after the interval, with Paulinho applying the rubber-stamp on an emphatic win. A listless Argentina struggled to conjure any response, with Messi cutting a lonely and forlorn figure up front, as the Albiceleste slumped to sixth in the table.
#1 2019 Copa America Semi-final (Belo Horizonte) - Brazil 2:0 Argentina
In their last competitive meeting, Brazil faced Argentina in Belo Horizonte for a place in the 2019 Copa America final.
However, after reaching the final of the competition in their last two appearances, Argentina failed to make it three in a row, as they fell 2-0 to the eventual champions.
The hosts started on the front foot and made their ascendancy count when Gabriel Jesus opened the scoring in the 19th minute. Argentina settled into the game and almost scored an equalizer only for Aguero to rattle the woodwork off a Messi free-kick.
With Brazil failing to build on their slender lead, Argentina came close to scoring again, with Messi hitting the woodwork and Aguero wastefully putting the rebound off-target. That miss would prove costly, as Brazil doubled their advantage on the night, courtesy of Roberto Firmino, 19 minutes from time.
Argentina's winless run against Brazil in competitive fixtures stretched to seven games in the process.
With Messi going winless in his ninth international tournament, the Albiceleste remain without a major title since their Copa America triumph in 1993.
