Lionel Messi has expressed his happiness and relief at finally winning silverware with Argentina after Saturday's Copa America 2021 triumph over Brazil at the Maracana.
Argentina defeated Brazil 1-0 after Angel Di Maria's 22nd-minute strike, earning six-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi his maiden piece of silverware with La Albiceleste.
Messi has finished runner-up in the Copa three times; 2007, 2015 and 2016, as well as runner-up at the 2014 World Cup and revealed his joy after the game.
"I needed to get the thorn out of being able to achieve something with the national team, I had been very close for many years," Messi told reporters.
"I knew that at some point it was going to go right, it was going to happen and I think there is no better moment than this.
"I feel that God was saving this moment for me, against Brazil in the final and in their country."
Along with breaking 34-year-old Messi's international duck, it is also was Argentina's first Copa America since 1993, ending a 28-year wait.
"We still cannot believe that we are champions and what we have achieved," Messi said. "But I think it will be a match that will remain in history, not only because we are champions of South America but also because we beat them Brazil in their country."
Argentina's win marked 20 games unbeaten under head coach Lionel Scaloni and offered optimism for next year's World Cup in Qatar.
Scaloni has changed the Argentine side, with relative newcomers Emiliano Martinez, Rodrigo De Paul and Cristiano Romero impressing.
"Lionel deserves special merit," Messi said. "He always wanted the best for the national team. He knew how to put together a winning team and deserves recognition."
Messi added: "We have to take advantage of this generation, this new crop of players. I told them they were going to be the future of the national team and I was not wrong. They showed it, today we are champions."
Scaloni also heaped praise on Messi who was named Player of the Tournament alongside Brazil's Neymar.
The Argentine finished as the equal top scorer with four goals as well as most assists (five).
“If all Argentines knew about the way he played this Copa America, they would love him more and more," Scaloni said. "I have no doubt.
"I, as a coach, could never do without this player, including playing in inferior conditions than we faced in this final and the semi-final.
"That's the kind of player we have and we have to enjoy, because one day in your career you won't be playing anymore. I have no words for him, he makes things easier on a daily basis."
Elche 0-4 Barcelona: Lewandowski double helps LaLiga leaders thrash rock-bottom hosts
Robert Lewandowski's latest Barcelona double helped take them another step closer to the LaLiga title with a 4-0 win over rock-bottom Elche on Saturday.
The Poland international's goals either side of an Ansu Fati finish helped the Blaugrana cruise to a comfortable victory at Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero.
Ferran Torres added a fourth as Xavi's visitors moved 15 points clear of second-placed Real Madrid in the table to further underline their domestic dominance this season.
For Sebastian Beccacece, Elche's fourth different boss of the season, it was a chastening reminder of the task at hand.
Barca pressed hard for an opener from the start and were duly rewarded 20 minutes in when Lewandowski turned in a Ronald Araujo header from Jordi Alba's free-kick.
But Lewandowski missed a golden opportunity to double the visitors' lead before the break with a flying header, as did Jules Kounde when he saw Edgar Badia save his shot.
The Blaugrana were more ruthless in the second half, though.
Fati capped off a fluent breakaway move with a cool, low finish to put Barca two up in the 56th minute
Lewandowski was then on hand 10 minutes later, latching onto a Gavi throughball and dispatching a neat finish, before Torres brought down the forward's looping pass outside the box for a fine strike of his own.
That added a last touch of gloss to a dominant performance that edges Barca closer to silverware.
Juventus 1-0 Verona: Kean keeps Bianconeri rolling
Moise Kean fired Juventus to a fifth consecutive victory in all competitions with a 1-0 win against Verona at Allianz Stadium.
A relatively quiet game offered little in the way of clear-cut opportunities, Danilo hitting the frame of the goal in the best chance of the first half.
However, Kean ensured the home fans would have something to celebrate after capping off a fine Juve move.
Though far from a vintage performance, Juve have moved four points behind fifth-placed Atalanta and three behind sixth-placed Roma, who play on Sunday.
Verona almost broke the deadlock after 15 minutes, Kevin Lasagna pulling a dangerous cross to the far post for Fabio Depaoli to smash a volley narrowly wide of Wojciech Szczesny's goal.
Danilo came closest before the break, his free-kick clipping the top-left corner of the crossbar.
Juve got their winner in the 55th minute. An excellent move culminated in Manuel Locatelli playing in Kean, who smashed home to take his tally of league goals for the season to six.
Massimiliano Allegri's side were not home and dry, however, with Szczesny charging off his line to push a loose ball away with Lasagna lurking after his defence left him in the lurch.
Juve had Szczesny to again thank when he kept out Filippo Terracciano's fierce effort.
Bremer squandered a golden opportunity to wrap up the points late on, somehow bundling an attempt over from inside the six-yard box, though fortunately for the defender, Verona could not make Juve pay for his miss.
Tuchel sees plenty of scope for improvement despite simple Klassiker win
Thomas Tuchel's first game as Bayern Munich coach may have been an impressive 4-2 victory over rivals Borussia Dortmund, but he knows there is work to do.
Tuchel replaced Julian Nagelsmann during the international break, and his first game in the dugout was Saturday's Klassiker against his old club Dortmund, who had won nine of their first 10 league games in 2023 to leave them top of the Bundesliga.
But Bayern leapfrogged them to the summit in style.
Gregor Kobel's error and a Thomas Muller double had the 10-time reigning champions 3-0 up within 23 minutes.
Kingsley Coman made it 4-0 shortly after half-time, and though consolation goals from Emre Can and Donyell Malen somewhat took the shine off their victory, Bayern now look the clear favourites to claim an 11th straight Bundesliga title, with Opta rating it at an 87.7 per cent chance they become champions again.
Despite the great start to his tenure, Tuchel insists there is still much work to do if Bayern are to get where he wants them to be, telling Sky TV: "I was very nervous today. It was a good first step but there is still a lot of room for improvement.
"It was a bit too wild, we wanted to have more dominance. We started very nervously. The whole game was actually too sloppy with too many ball losses.
"We have a lot to analyse. The team is extremely willing to learn. I understand that some things haven't worked out yet. All in all, it was too many turnovers that made life difficult for us. We want to be in possession.
"It's a bit like a band or an orchestra. We have to find our rhythm."
Nagelsmann's sacking came despite Bayern being in the Champions League quarter-finals.
"Everyone was aware of what was at stake here. A change of coach always brings unrest, there was a lot to absorb," Tuchel added.
"The will to implement everything was there 100 per cent. That's the most important.
"When we played calmly and clearly, we had top-class chances. We have leaders, and that will give us peace and confidence."
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