Skip to main content

The Best Copa America Finals in History so far

 


Only a few games in the Copa America finals can be considered the most thrilling matches in history.

Copa America 2024 has come to an end, with the final set to be staged this weekend. The reigning champions, Argentina and Colombia, are squaring off in Miami Gardens, Florida. It is bound to be an entertaining clash, although it would not be a classic match like Argentina vs. Brazil or Argentina vs. Uruguay.

Throughout the tournament’s history, only a few games in the summit could be regarded as thrilling encounters, in which both sides scored but not in an equal match, not a one-sided clash. Copa America itself only has its format with the final game since the 1993 edition. The round-robin format was more preferable from the first edition in 1916 to 1991. Here are those notable and memorable finals.

Argentina vs. Mexico (Copa America 1993 Final)

The 1993 edition was the first Copa America, which invited non-CONMEBOL members to compete. Mexico and the USA were the first teams to be included. El Sombrero, led by their legendary striker, Hugo Sanchez, surprisingly managed to reach the final to take on the reigning champions, Argentina, who had to rely on penalties to progress in the knockout stage.

The final itself, which was staged in the Estadio Monumental in Guayaquil, turned out to be a tight affair. Both sides traded attempts on target, which forced both goalkeepers, Sergio Goycochea and Jorge Campos, to make clinical saves. Albiceleste finally broke the deadlock with Gabriel Batistuta’s powerful strike in the 63rd minute, but after four minutes, Mexico equalised through Benjamin Galindo’s penalty. The winning goal came in the 74th minute as Batistuta completed his brace after taking advantage of Diego Simeone’s quick throw in. It was their 14th title and the last one before Lionel Messi and Co. lifted the same trophy in 2021.

Uruguay vs. Brazil (Copa America 1995 Final)

The final in the following edition had fewer goals but was still considered the most thrilling one. The host, Uruguay, and the 1994 World Cup winner were squaring off in the historic Estadio Centenario in Montevideo. Brazil were without itsWorld Cup heroes, Romario and Bebeto. Yet, such did not stop them from going through the final.

The clash was intense, with a few players involved in a brief brawl at the first half. Selecao opened the scoring first through Tulio in the 30th minute before La Celeste found the equaliser through Pablo Bengoechea’s sublime free kick. The former Botafogo man was supposedly prepared to be Romario’s successor. Unfortunately, he contributed directly to their loss as he was the only player who missed the penalty in the shootout. Uruguay clinched their 14th title in history and Tulio was never called up again in any major tournament. 

Brazil vs. Argentina (Copa America 2004 Final)

This is by far the best final in the tournament. It was the classic duel between Brazil and Argentina. The match not only ended 2-2, but there were late goals and penalties. In the 2004 edition, Albiceleste was the favourite since Brazil only sent the B team in the competition without Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, or other stars from the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Argentina, on the other hand, brought their bestplayers to the squad, as well as their rising stars such as Lucho Gonzalez,Carlos Tevez, and Cesar Delgado. They also aimed to snatch a title as a consolation for their humiliating exit at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

The match was as exciting as expected, as both sides traded chances and goals. Marcelo Bielsa’s men took the lead from Kily Gonzalez’s penalty in the 20th minute, but Luisao’s goal put them back on level terms just before the interval. The game became more intense in the second half, but neither side was able to score. In the 87th minute, Argentina suddenly restored their lead through Cesar Delgado’s goal. They seemed to be confident already, with just one goal lead, as the final whistle was just a few minutes away. However, Carlos Alberto Pareira’s side once again bounced back and equalised through Adriano’s strike in the six-yard box. The match had to be decided by a shootout, and Argentina’s first two executors already failed to convert the penalties!! The young Julio Cesar was the hero, as he saved the first one while none of Brazil’s takers missed the shot. It was a triumphant campaign for the Brazilian reserve team.

 

 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Why South American Clubs are no longer a threat in the FIFA Club World Cup

  The South American clubs are no longer the favourite to end UEFA’s domination in the FIFA Club World Cup. The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is set to begin at the end of this week. This expanded edition is expected to bring more competitive games and rekindle heated rivalries at the latter stage between UEFA and CONMEBOL sides. However, the latter reason seems rather out of reach considering the decline of the South American teams. Their dipped performance in the tournament, which was once known in a one-off showdown between the UCL and Copa Libertadores champions, has been quite distressing. The last time CONMEBOL lifted the trophy was in 2012 when Corinthians snatched a scrappy 1-0 victory over Chelsea under Tite. Since then, Copa Libertadores champions have not always reached the final in the competition. In fact, in the past five editions, only three of them advanced to the summit. No wonder that many have doubts they could win again, including in this year’s edition when C...

The Best South American Managers in FIFA Club World Cup predecessor, Intercontinental Cup

  South American managers who won the FIFA Club World Cup or its predecessor, the Intercontinental Cup, are still fewer compared to European gaffers. The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is in progress to the second game. The South American sides, which have been deemed underdogs, finally managed to show their quality to the world after Botafogo’s stunning victory over the Champions League winner, PSG. It is literally the first win from the CONMEBOL sides against the UEFA sides since 2012, when Tite’s Corinthians beat Chelsea 1-0 in Yokohama, Japan. However, despite the Brazilian side’s unexpected victory last night, it still cannot be claimed to be fully achieved by the South American. Botafogo is currently under the tutelage of the foreign manager. The Portuguese Renato Pavia has been in charge of the club since February this year. On the contrary, Flamengo’s 3-1 victory over Chelsea can be considered as one. The 1981 Intercontinental Cup champion is led by a true South American ma...

The Dark Age in Intercontinental Cup, FIFA Club World Cup Predecessor

  The FIFA Club World Cup predecessor, the Intercontinental Cup, was once notorious for its dark years involving real violence on the pitch. The FIFA Club World Cup (CWC) might have just been held for the first time in the new millennium back in 2000. Yet, this tournament has a long history with shocking facts on and off the pitch. Its predecessor, the Intercontinental Cup, had an unbelievable tale in the late 1960s and 1970s, once raising concern about its future before being revitalised in the 1980s.  The Intercontinental Cup, not the one with ‘FIFA’ at the front, was once not recognised by the world football governing body despite being endorsed by the two strongest regional football confederations in the world, UEFA and CONMEBOL . It was only considered ‘a friendly match’ by FIFA. Yet, its prestige was still well recognised globally, as it featured the duel of the best clubs from Europe and South America. They are undoubtedly still the ones at the top level of internat...