Argentina, led by the legendary Lionel Messi, is on the brink of history, one win away from securing their 16th Copa America title, a record-breaking feat. However, their path to glory is blocked by a resilient Colombian team, who have defied all odds to reach the final. This clash pits the tournament’s powerhouse against a surging force, promising an intense and captivating final.
Argentina’s head coach, Lionel Scaloni, is unlikely to make drastic changes to his winning formula. He is expected to field his team in a familiar 4-4-2 formation. Nahuel Molina and Nicolas Tagliafico will occupy the right-back and left-back positions, respectively. Cristian Romero and Lisando Martinez will hold the fort in the center-back pairing. Rodrigo De Paul and Enzo Fernandez are set to start in the heart of the midfield, while the flanks will be patrolled by Angel Di Maria and Alexis Mac Allister. Upfront, the battle for the starting spot alongside Lionel Messi will likely be between Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez. However, with Lautaro leading the scoring charts, he seems to have a slight edge over Alvarez in the race to start the final.
On the Colombian side, Nestor Lorenzo is also expected to stick with his winning combination. He will deploy his team in a 4-3-1-2 formation. Camilo Vargas will be the custodian between the sticks. Davidson Sanchez and Carlos Cuesta will form the center-back pairing. Daniel Munoz, who was a certain starter at right-back, is ruled out due to a red card in the semi-finals. This opens the door for Santiago Arias to fill the void. On the left side, Johan Mojica is a familiar face in the left-back position. Ricardo Rios and Jefferson Lerma will act as the holding midfielders. James Rodriguez is expected to occupy his favored No. 10 role, flanked by Luis Diaz on his left and Jhon Arias on his right. Jhon Cordoba is likely to lead the line as the lone striker in the No. 9 role. However, Diaz has a tendency to join Cordoba upfront, effectively forming a two-pronged attack.
The stage is set for a thrilling showdown between these two teams, each with their own strengths and aspirations. Argentina, fueled by Messi’s brilliance and a burning desire to claim their historic 16th Copa America title, will be looking to dominate proceedings. However, Colombia, brimming with confidence and fueled by an underdog spirit, will be determined to pull off a monumental upset. The final promises to be a captivating spectacle, a clash of styles and ambitions, with the ultimate prize hanging in the balance.
