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Argentina will play Brazil in the final of Copa America 2021 tonight at the Maracana Stadium.
It is a highly anticipated encounter, with two of the best players in the world in Argentina's Lionel Messi and Brazil's Neymar set to face each other. The pressure on Messi to win a trophy with the national team is immense, and Copa America 2021 offers a good opportunity to finally ensure that that happens.
Messi and Argentina have not enjoyed the best of luck in the Copa America finals in recent years, and will have to be at their very best in order to beat Brazil. These two nations have been the best teams in the tournament and deserve to be in the finals.
Copa America 2021: Argentina's predicted Playing XI for the Final
Goalkeeper - Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)
Emiliano Martinez has arguably been the best goalkeeper at Copa America 2021, and it was his heroics in the semi-final which ensured Argentina's place in the final.
Martinez saved three penalties in the shootout against Colombia to secure Argentina's position as finalists. The Aston Villa goalkeeper was one of the best in the Premier League last season and is enjoying his best spell as a professional footballer.
The 28-year old has been Argentina's first-choice goalkeeper at Copa America 2021, ahead of experienced names like Agustin Marchesin and Franco Armani. Martinez will be one of the first names on the teamsheet for manager Lionel Scaloni.
Other options: Franco Armani (River Plate), Juan Musso (Atalanta), Agustin Marchesin (Porto)
Right-back - Nahuel Molina (Udinese)
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni will have to choose between River Plate's Gonzalo Montiel and Udinese's Nahuel Molina for the right-back spot in the Copa America 2021 final, and Molina seems likely to feature.
Linked with Inter Milan in recent weeks, Molina started in the semi-final against Colombia, with Montiel coming on as a substitute. Molina joined Udinese from Boca Juniors last summer and made 18 starts in Serie A in his debut campaign. He is capable of operating as a right wing-back if needed.
A strong performance in the final of Copa America 2021 could see interest in Molina increase. Udinese have already sold countryman Juan Musso to Atalanta.
Centre-back - German Pezzella (Fiorentina)
The absence of Atalanta centre-back Cristian Romero due to injury has seen German Pezzella start at centre-back at Copa America 2021 for Argentina.
Pezzella is the captain of Fiorentina, and has quietly done well at La Viola since joining the club, initially on loan in 2017 from Real Betis. The 30-year old is an experienced campaigner who made his debut for Argentina in 2017, and has 22 senior caps.
The centre-back is good in the air, but has his limitations. If Romero is declared fit for the Copa America 2021 final, it would not be surprising to see the 23-year old take Pezzella's place in the first XI.
Centre-back - Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica)
Nicolas Otamendi is one of the more experienced members of the Argentina national team, and has been part of the Argentina setup for some time now.
Otamendi has 79 caps for the senior side, and has been the first-choice centre-back for Scaloni at Copa America 2021. The 33-year old is well-renowned for his spell with Manchester City, where he won two Premier League titles and produced some good performances under the management of Pep Guardiola.
Otamendi joined Benfica last summer, and endured a mixed debut season. The centre-back is often rash on the tackle and is not pleasing on the eye, but is an essential member of his national side and will start the final of Copa America 2021.
Left-back - Marcos Acuna (Sevilla)
Lionel Scaloni will have to choose between Ajax's Nicolas Tagliafico and Sevilla's Marcos Acuna for the left-back spot in the Copa America 2021 final.
Tagliafico got the nod in the semi-final, but the Ajax man has not been at his usual best at Copa America 2021. In fact, the 28-year old endured an underwhelming season with Ajax, and there have been suggestions that he could be sold this summer.
Acuna, on the other hand, enjoyed a fairly good debut season with Sevilla. The 29-year old is a reliable performer, but it is evident that Scaloni is not confident with his left-back options. Both Acuna and Tagliafico have been rotated throughout the tournament.
Other options: Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate), Cristian Romero (Atalanta), Lisandro Martinez (Ajax), Lucas Martinez Quarta (Fiorentina), Nicolas Tagliafico (Ajax)
Also Read: 5 reasons why Brazil could struggle against Argentina | Copa America 2021 final
Central midfielder - Rodrigo De Paul (Udinese)
Rodrigo De Paul is unlikely to be a Udinese player for much longer, with the midfielder set to join Atletico Madrid soon.
De Paul has been one of Argentina's better performers at Copa America 2021. A transfer rumour mill favourite, the midfielder was persistently linked with a move to Leeds United last summer, while Juventus and Inter Milan were said to be monitoring him after an excellent 2020-21 season.
The 27-year old scored his first goal for the national team in the Copa America 2021 quarter-final against Ecuador. De Paul's creativity from midfield could prove to be extremely crucial in the final.
Central midfielder - Leandro Paredes (Paris Saint-Germain)
Leandro Paredes was a substitute in the Copa America 2021 semi-final, with Real Betis' Guido Rodriguez preferred ahead of him.
Paredes is highly valued by Scaloni, and was brought on later in the game to make an impact. The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder is an excellent passer who is capable of playing as a defensive midfielder as well, and looks likely to return to the first XI for the final.
The 27-year old was a highly-rated prospect during his Roma days, and after a short stint in Russia with Zenit Saint Petersburg, Paredes is finally showing what he is capable of in a top 5 league.
Central midfielder - Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham Hotspur)
Giovani Lo Celso did not enjoy a good 2020-21 season with Tottenham Hotspur, making just 11 starts in the Premier League due to various injury issues.
Lo Celso, however, has been a consistent presence for Argentina at Copa America 2021. The 25-year old is a highly versatile midfielder capable of operating in both defensive midfield as well as further forward, and fans of both Tottenham Hotspur and Argentina will be hoping that he fulfills the immense potential he showed during his days with Real Betis.
The former Paris Saint-Germain man started in the Copa America 2021 semi-final, and Scaloni is unlikely to tinker a lot ahead of a big game. Lo Celso should keep his place in the first XI.
Other options: Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Nicolas Dominguez (Bologna), Guido Rodriguez (Real Betis)
Also Read: Argentina vs Brazil prediction, preview, team news and more | Copa America 2021 final
Right-winger - Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Who else? Lionel Messi has been the best player at Copa America 2021 by a comfortable margin, and fans are seeing a side to him that very few knew even existed.
The usually reserved Messi cut a passionate figure during the penalty shootout against Colombia in the semi-final, and his exchange with centre-back Yerry Mina after the Colombian's miss was a key talking point after the game. The 34-year old has four goals and five assists at Copa America 2021 so far.
Messi's future with Barcelona is up in the air, with the Argentine's contract with the club having expired a few days ago. Barcelona have confirmed that talks are ongoing about a new deal, but for now, Messi's focus will be on the Copa America 2021 final.
Centre-forward - Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)
It is clear that Lautaro Martinez is now Argentina's first-choice No.9, ahead of the highly experienced Sergio Aguero.
Aguero, who recently joined Barcelona, has been reduced to a bench role at Copa America 2021, with Martinez preferred to lead the line. The 23-year old has done well in the competition so far and scored Argentina's goal in the semi-final against Colombia.
Martinez is regarded as one of the best young forwards in the world, and enjoyed arguably his best season last season with Inter Milan. The striker has 28 caps for the national team and has scored 14 goals.
Left-winger - Papu Gomez (Sevilla)
It will be interesting to see who starts on the left-wing for Argentina in the final of Copa America 2021.
Fiorentina's Nicolas Gonzalez, Sevilla's Papu Gomez and Paris Saint-Germain's Angel Di Maria are all options. Gonzalez started in the semi-final but had minimal impact, while Di Maria has predominantly been utilised as an impact substitute at Copa America 2021.
Gomez, on the other hand, has enjoyed a good tournament. Having left Atalanta in controversial circumstances this January, the 33-year old joined Sevilla. Gomez is highly creative and can play in various forward positions, and seems to be an ideal candidate to start in the final.
Other options: Sergio Aguero (Barcelona), Angel Di Maria (Paris Saint-Germain), Nicolas Gonzalez (Fiorentina), Joaquin Correa (Lazio), Angel Correa (Atletico Madrid), Julian Alvarez (River Plate)
Also Read: Predicted starting XI for Brazil | Copa America 2021 final
