Argentina beat Brazil 1-0 at the Maracana thanks to a Angel di Maria goal in the first half to win the 2021 Copa America title and end a 28-year-old trophy drought at the international level.
Lionel Messi may not have scored in the final but he was the star of the show for Argentina as he scored four goals and assisted five times.
His five assists are the most by any player at a single tournament. The 34-year-old was awarded the player of the match award four times during the tournament which is also the record for a single edition. Messi has been player of the match 14 times in Copa America history which is also a record.
The Argentine, who has played more Copa America matches than any other player, holds the record for most assists in tournament history along with most free-kicks scored.
Argentina’s win over Brazil was their first in a major international tournament after 28 years. Their last win over their arch-rivals at Copa America or Fifa World Cup was the 1993 Copa America quarter-final where Argentina won on penalties.
Now, Argentina’s 15th triumph has made them the joint-most successful team in tournament history.
Copa America medal table (All-time)
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentina | 15 | 14 | 5 | 34 |
| 2 | Uruguay | 15 | 6 | 9 | 30 |
| 3 | Brazil | 9 | 12 | 7 | 28 |
| 4 | Paraguay | 2 | 6 | 7 | 15 |
| 5 | Chile | 2 | 4 | 5 | 11 |
| 6 | Peru | 2 | 1 | 8 | 11 |
| 7 | Colombia | 1 | 1 | 5 | 7 |
| 8 | Bolivia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 9 | Mexico | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 10 | Honduras | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Messi is the first player to be the tournament top scorer, top assist provider, Golden Ball winner and championship winner in history.
Top goalscorers in Copa America 2021
| Player | Country | Mat | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lionel Messi | Argentina | 6 | 4 |
| Luis Diaz | Colombia | 5 | 5 |
| Gianluca Lapadula | Peru | 7 | 3 |
| Lautaro Martinez | Argentina | 5 | 3 |
| Neymar | Brazil | 5 | 2 |
Top assist providers in Copa America 2021
| Player | Country | Mat | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lionel Messi | Argentina | 6 | 5 |
| Neymar | Brazil | 5 | 3 |
| Christian Cueva | Peru | 7 | 2 |
| Gianluca Lapadula | Peru | 7 | 1 |
| Andre Carrillo | Peru | 6 | 1 |
Argentina’s Emiliano Martinez won the Golden Glove award for keeping the most clean sheets in the tournament.
Most clean sheets in Copa America 2021
| Player | Country | Mat | Clean sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emiliano Martinez | Argentina | 6 | 4 |
| Ederson | Brazil | 4 | 3 |
| Fernando Muslera | Uruguay | 5 | 2 |
| David Ospina | Colombia | 6 | 2 |
| Alisson | Brazil | 2 | 1 |