Spooky Express previews Sunday's Copa America final between Argentina and Colombia, including the latest team news, possible starting XIs, and predictions.
Defending champions Argentina aim for an unprecedented 16th Copa América title as they face Colombia in the final at Hard Rock Stadium in Florida on Sunday. This eagerly anticipated contest marks the first time these two nations have met in the Copa América final, with Argentina making a record 30th appearance and Colombia their third.
Historically, Argentina has dominated Colombia, winning 26 of their 43 encounters, including a penalty-shootout victory in the 2021 Copa América semi-finals. However, they must remain cautious of Colombia's exceptional form. Since a 1-0 loss to Argentina in February 2022, Los Cafeteros have set a record 28-match unbeaten run (22-6-0 record).
Argentina advanced from the quarter-finals with a tense penalty-shootout win over Ecuador, followed by a 2-0 semi-final victory over debutants Canada, extending their unbeaten streak to 10 matches. Julian Alvarez's first-half goal was complemented by a record-breaking strike from Lionel Messi, who surpassed Iran's Ali Daei to become the second-highest male goalscorer in international football history with 109 goals.
Head coach Lionel Scaloni praised his team's resilience, noting that their path to the final has been fraught with "extremely tough" challenges, contrary to predictions of an easy journey. Ranked first in the world by FIFA, Argentina has enjoyed considerable success in the United States and has not lost a major tournament knockout match in regulation time on American soil since 1994.
Argentina, currently tied with Uruguay at 15 Copa América titles, is just one victory away from securing an outright record 16th title. This final will be especially poignant as it marks Angel Di María's 145th and final match for the national team, although Messi plans to continue beyond this tournament.
Argentina faces no injury or suspension issues, allowing coach Lionel Scaloni to potentially field an unchanged lineup for the final. The defense is set to feature Gonzalo Montiel, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez, and Nicolas Tagliafico.
In midfield, while Giovani Lo Celso and Exequiel Palacios push for starting spots, Enzo Fernandez and Rodrigo De Paul are expected to retain their positions. Angel Di Maria, set for his final international match, will likely feature on the right flank.
Lionel Messi, having overcome a leg injury to play the full match against Canada, is poised to start alongside Julian Alvarez in attack. Despite his four-goal tally, Lautaro Martinez may start on the bench again, ready to make an impact as a substitute.
In the semi-finals, Los Cafeteros defeated Uruguay 1-0 with Jefferson Lerma's header, despite being reduced to 10 men after Daniel Munoz's red card. Colombia's head coach, Nestor Lorenzo, has yet to experience defeat since his appointment in July 2022 and praised his team's bravery in their semi-final win, a match marred by post-game brawls involving Uruguayan players and fans.
Ranked 12th in the world by FIFA, Colombia has reached the final four in three of the last four Copa América tournaments but has fallen short in recent years, finishing third in 2016 and 2021. They now prepare for their first final since winning their only Copa América title in 2001 on home soil.
Despite their unbeaten run, Colombia enters Sunday's final as underdogs, having only beaten Argentina three times in 21 meetings this century. Their most recent victory was a 2-0 win in the group stage of the 2019 Copa América.
Colombia will be without Daniel Munoz, who is suspended following his semi-final red card. Santiago Arias, with 58 caps, is set to replace Munoz at right-back, joining Davinson Sanchez, Carlos Cuesta, and Johan Mojica in defense.Captain James Rodriguez, with a record six assists in this tournament, will continue in the number 10 role, flanked by Luis Diaz and Jhon Arias.
Up front, Jhon Cordoba is expected to start over Aston Villa's Jhon Duran and former Eintracht Frankfurt forward Rafael Santos Borre. Cordoba has been in good form, contributing two goals and two assists in the last four matches.
This Copa América final promises to be a thrilling encounter, with Argentina aiming for a record 16th title and Colombia looking to continue their impressive unbeaten run. Both teams have shown resilience and skill throughout the tournament, setting the stage for a memorable clash at Hard Rock Stadium.
La Albiceleste faces a formidable opponent in Colombia, who has not lost in any competition for over two years.
With their wealth of big-game experience, Argentina is favored to prevail (we already backed Argentina to defend their title). Key to their success will be containing the in-form James Rodriguez and ensuring Lionel Messi delivers another stellar performance.
