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A strange Copa America 2021 will culminate in a final most neutrals would have been rooting for, as order in the world has seemingly been restored. Hosts Brazil will meet fierce rivals Argentina at the historic Maracana Stadium to decide the fate of a tournament that suffered from an existential crisis even before a ball had been kicked.
Colombia and Argentina were originally scheduled to host Copa America 2020 last year, but the tournament got postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Owing to political protests in Colombia this year and mounting COVID-19 cases in Argentina, Brazil became the tournament's new hosts at the eleventh hour, with the tournament rebranded as Copa America 2021.
However, with a plethora of COVID-19 cases afflicting the country, the decision was widely criticised. The Brazil team, which had publicly asserted that they did not want the tournament to be hosted in the country because of the pandemic, looked comfortable on the pitch once they took to it, dominating opponents on their way to the summit clash of Copa America 2021.
Their quest to become the first team to win the Copa America on consecutive occasions as hosts now involves one last hurdle: Argentina.
A battle of superstars in a final for the masses | Copa America 2021
Lionel Messi, who lost the 2007 Copa America final to the Selecao, has ended up on the losing side in four such matches in total in a career of near-misses at the international level. He has once again been his team's, and the tournament's, best player and will be desperate to land that elusive silverware missing in his glittering resume.
He will be up against good friend Neymar, who has also been on top of his game in the tournament. The two stars had been part of the feared MSN trio at Barcelona that won the club many laurels. But neither have won the Copa, with Neymar missing out on Brazil's 2019 triumph due to injury.
The Copa America 2021 final thus provides a riveting narrative for the neutrals and promises to be a spectacle for the masses. On that note, here are the five players to watch out for in the Copa America 2021 final
#5 Lautaro Martinez (Argentina)
Often, Lionel Messi has been let down at the international level due to lack of support, especially from a strong centre-forward. That's because the likes of Gonzalo Higuain have strangely let Argentina down on important occasions.
But Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez has seemed the perfect foil to Messi at Copa America 2021 and is peaking at the right moment. Martinez netted in the semi-final against Colombia and has notched up three goals in five games so far. Someone needs to be at the end of Messi's quality deliveries on the big day if the great man is not scoring himself, and that man against Brazil could very well be Martinez.
#4 Lucas Paqueta (Brazil)
Lucas Paqueta has turned his club career around at Lyon and has emerged from the shadows to be Copa America 2021's breakout player. Having scored the winners in the knockout games against Chile and Peru, he has been publicly acclaimed by manager Tite as one who understands his game better than most in the Brazil team.
Paqueta has played five of Brazil's six matches at Copa America 2021, playing in the attacking midfielder's role so often donned by Philippe Coutinho. His partnership with Neymar has also been pivotal to Brazil's success at Copa America 2021.
#3 Emiliano Martinez (Argentina)
Former Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has been hailed as Argentina's trump card in the Copa America 2021 final after his heroics in the penalty shootout helped the Albiceleste beat Colombia in the semi-final. He saved three spot-kicks in the crucial game. Martinez's graph has been steadily rising ever since he was drafted into the Arsenal first team and played a part in their FA Cup win in 2019-20.
Martinez also impressed in his first season at Aston Villa last season and has carried his form and confidence into Copa America 2021. If the game culminates in a penalty shootout, Argentina might have the upper hand because of their custodian.
#2 Neymar (Brazil)
A new, mature and determined Neymar seems to have taken to the field at Copa America 2021. Working from his favourite left wing, the magician has been running the show for Brazil at the tournament, despite his penchant for falling all too easily still rearing its ugly head at times.
Neymar has made three goals at Copa America 2021 and netted two, but has consistently got into great positions both in terms of scoring as well as creating. One can even say that he would have scored even more goals had his finishing been a bit more incisive.
With Casemeiro and Fred holding fort behind him, Neymar has had the freedom to link up with Paqueta and Richarlison and cause havoc in the opposing penalty box. He said before the final that he wanted to meet Argentina in the final and he has now got his wish. Neymar seems to be in the mood for it, too.
#1 Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Even his ardent fans must be wondering how La Pulga does it. The 34-year-old is not getting any younger. but his game certainly seems to be getting better if it were humanly possible.
Lionel Messi has been by far the best player at Copa America 2021, even exceeding his already superhuman levels by conjuring delectable assists and breathtaking free-kicks. Only once when he hit the post from a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper did he seem human.
With four goals and five assists, Messi is topping both charts at the tournament, but numbers do not adequately reveal how he carries this team. Can he carry Argentina to victory one more time with some help from his compatriots and finally win a final for Albiceleste? His fans and much of the world of football will hope he does so.
