da prosport bet： Both Colombia and Argentina will be in search of history in Copa America final, with legacies on the line for players and coaches alike
da dobrowin： Finals are where history is made. You can look at the statistics all you want, but what truly matters in this sport are moments. And there are no bigger moments than finals, where trophies are on the line and legacies are written, unwritten and rewritten in real time.
That's the situation heading into Sunday's Copa America finale between Argentina and Colombia. It's a match that has two sides looking to make history, albeit of different type. Argentina have a chance to continue their reign of terror atop the sport. Colombia have a chance to reach a new high for the program after years of falling short.
So much is at stake on Sunday night. Players' careers could be defined by what unfolds at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium. A goal here or there can forever alter a legacy, while an untimely mistake could be the difference between a trophy and utter failure under the brightest of lights.
So what's at stake? Who has the most to win, or lose? GOAL takes a look at what's on the line in the 2024 Copa America final.
GettyArgentina's Angel Di Maria: The right kind of send-off
After winning the 2022 World Cup, Angel Di Maria could have called it a career. Could you have blamed him? There's nothing sweeter than winning a World Cup and no feeling that would compare to lifting that trophy in Qatar.
He came back, though, for one more tournament, one more chance at glory. Sunday will be his final game in an Argentina shirt. Will it all be worth it?
"It's my last battle," Di Maria said ahead of the final. "There's nothing left to say that I haven't said a lot of times before. It's my last game. I have to say thank you to all Argentinians and to this generation that has allowed me to lift so many trophies.
"I'm not ready for my last game in the national team, but it's time. Whatever happens in the final, I think I can leave through the front door. I gave everything. I always gave my life for this jersey."
Di Maria's legendary status is already cemented, so another Copa America will be stat padding at this point. He's surely enjoyed this last go around with his teammates and this last tournament in that famous blue and white shirt.
In the end, though, the only way he'll go out happy is if he has lifts another trophy. It would be a fitting end for a player who has so often been overlooked, but will it be the one he gets?
AdvertisementGetty ImagesColombia's James Rodriguez: Redemption
The world fell in love with James Rodriguez in 2014. Most have fallen out of love with him in the 10 years since. He's never come close to reaching those highs again. That is, until this summer.
The Colombian No. 10's career hasn't gone to plan but here he is at this Copa America pulling the strings. Rodriguez is a throwback in more ways than one, which is what has made his dominance this summer so damn fun.
He has six assists in this tournament. No one else has more than two. There's been no player more important to his team's success this summer than the 33-year-old. No one could have seen this coming.
Little has gone to plan for Rodriguez over the last decade. His club career never really got going for various reasons. From the moment he burst onto the scene, he was under so much pressure from the rest of the world. He dealt with so many expectations and, unfortunately, he never came close to living up to them.
This tournament won't necessarily change that, but this does feel like a summer of redemption for the midfielder. If he can lift Colombia to glory, his icon status will be solidified. Maybe fans will stop wondering what might have been, and remember what was in the summer of 2024.
GettyArgentina's Lionel Scaloni: History
Scaloni is already the best Argentina coach of the modern era. Winning a World Cup will do that for you. His resume stacks up better than essentially anyone in the country's history.
But if he wins on Sunday? If he can lead this to a fourth major trophy in just three years? Yeah, he'll be undeniable.
Scaloni already has one Copa America, a Finalissima and, of course, a World Cup to his name. If he adds another Copa America, he'll become only the third coach in this team's history to lift this trophy more than once. Given his other achievements, there will no denying Scaloni's place in history.
It's particularly impressive considering this is his first-ever senior head coaching job. Prior to taking over Argentina, he'd only been an assistant at Sevilla and within the Argentina system. His appointment was blasted by Diego Maradona, at the time.
Now? There's nothing left to criticize.
Scaloni has been the perfect coach for this team at the perfect time and, if Argentina wins on Sunday, what is already a legendary run will continue on.
GettyColombia's Luis Diaz: Validation
Luis Diaz could very well be the difference in Sunday's finale. He's that good, that dangerous. So often, he's Colombia's biggest weapon, a player that can make defenses bend and bend and bend until they ultimately shatter.
Diaz, though, isn't always compared to the world's best. So often, it feels like he's lumped into that second tier, the one just below world-class. He's good, but not great. He's dangerous, but not lethal. he's a difference-maker, but not the guy.
Reputations are made in finals, though, and Diaz has the chance to enhance his while writing his place in his country's history books. Colombia has had few players as dynamic as Diaz and, if he puts that on show on Sunday, he'll find himself among the Carlos Valderramas and the Radamels Falcaos of the world.
Meanwhile, Europe will be watching, too. Diaz is a key player for Liverpool, but not quite the star. Maybe this summer will help him take the leap as he heads into life under Arne Slot at Anfield. This is a massive game for Diaz to prove to the world just how good can be.