ARGENTINA head coach Lionel Scaloni is backing his team for glory as they attempt to win a record-breaking 16th Copa America title when they face Colombia in Florida, the United States of America, in the final in the early hours of tomorrow.
Victory for Scaloni and his side would not only take the defending champions past Uruguay as the most successful team in the tournament’s history, it would also earn Argentina a ‘treble’ of back-to-back major trophies.
Having already bagged the Copa America in 2021 and the FIFA World Cup in 2022, Argentina would complete the historic treble with a win over Colombia.
The only comparable achievement in international football is Spain’s consecutive European Championships in 2008 and 2012, along with World Cup success in 2010.
“We always try to play the same way,” Scaloni said as he previewed the final.
“The DNA of this team is the same, and that is the most important thing. We will try to win the final. Our way of playing football will not change, but it is clear the final is always special.”
Colombia, on the other hand, are hoping to claim their first Copa America title in 23 years, with their only title coming in 2001 when they hosted.
They made it to the final with a 1-0 victory over Uruguay, despite Daniel Munoz’s red card and are on a 28-match unbeaten streak, with their last defeat dating back to February 2022 against Argentina.
“We know who our opponent is, but we need to be motivated and we need to understand that it’s a different match,” Colombia coach Nestor Lorenzo said.
“It’s a match that actually prevails over everything we’ve done, and we have this opportunity to enjoy it, and we have the opportunity against the world champions.”
A resurgent James Rodriguez has been key to Colombia’s progress in the USA, breaking Lionel Messi’s record for the most assists in a single Copa America with six to his name.
“Nestor has found how to plan the team play around him, and he is a great player to have, but we never focus on a single player. We focus on the team,” Scaloni said about Rodriguez.
Argentina’s star forward and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi, who scored his first goal of the tournament in the 2-0 semi-final victory over Canada, will be seeking to add another title to his illustrious career after enduring defeats in his first four major finals (one World Cup, three Copa Americas) since 2007.
