The Argentine National Team will face Colombia in the final of the 2024 Copa America this Sunday at 9 pm at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, where they previously defeated Peru in the second round. The team, led by Lionel Scaloni, will be aiming for a back-to-back title after their victory in 2021 and to establish themselves as the country with the most Copa America trophies, currently tied with Uruguay at 15 titles.
The main news regarding the Argentine National Team is that the coach will field the same lineup that won 2-0 against Canada in the semifinals. Angel Di Maria will play his last match as a starter for the Albiceleste and will be joined by Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez in the forward line.
The main question was at right-back, but ultimately the coach opted for Gonzalo Montiel, who suffered an ankle knock and trained separately last Wednesday. However, he recovered without issues and will start the match, leaving Nahuel Molina on the bench.
In the last Copa America, both teams also faced each other, but that time it was in the semifinals. That match, which ended in a 3-2 penalty shootout victory for Argentina after a 1-1 draw in regular time, is remembered for Emiliano Martinez’s brilliant performance in the decisive shootout and immortalized a historic phrase: “Mirá que te como” (Watch out, I’m going to eat you).
On the other hand, the team coached by Argentine Néstor Lorenzo, who was an assistant to José Pekerman for a long time and was part of the coaching staff during the 2006 World Cup in Germany where Scaloni also played a game, has some key absences after defeating Uruguay in the previous round.
Full-back Daniel Muñoz was sent off for an elbow on Manuel Ugarte and will be unavailable, while midfielder Richard Ríos was subbed off at the 60th minute after a knee injury from Darwin Núñez and is in doubt, although they will assess him until the last moment due to his good form.
Despite these absences, Colombia is in great form as they have not lost in the 25 games Lorenzo has managed and are three games unbeaten, totaling a historic 28-game undefeated streak. The last time they lost? Against Argentina in February 2022. Additionally, they will be aiming for their second Copa America title after their victory in 2001, a tournament from which Argentina was absent and was held in Colombia.