This Sunday (14), Argentina and Colombia face each other at the Hard Rock Stadium, in Miami, United States, at 9pm (Brasília time). The confrontation will define the champion of Copa América 2024.
The Colombians, under the command of Néstor Lorenzo, are looking for their second cup and reached the decision after beating Uruguay 1-0. Current champion Argentina, who beat Canada 2-0 in the semi-finals, are aiming for their 16th title.
This would place the brothers as the biggest winners of the continental competition.
Argentina can isolate itself as the greatest champion
According to Odds & Scouts, one of the main sources of data for sporting events, and several betting platforms, such as Esportes da Sorte, Bet7k, Casa de Apostas, Estrelabet, BETesporte, Onabet, Galera.bet and Reals, Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, emerges as the favorite for the title.
Not even the Colombians’ 28 consecutive games without losing – with 22 wins and six draws – makes them favorites. Argentina’s victory is paying, on average, R$2.18 for every R$1 bet, while Colombia’s triumph offers a return of R$3.50 for the same amount invested.
The competition marks Di María’s farewell to the national team and Lionel Messi’s likely last Copa América.
Argentina arrives for the title fight with 100% success in the group stage. In the knockout stage, they had a scare and drew 1-1 with Ecuador in regulation time of the quarter-finals. But he passed in the penalty shootout.
Then, after facing Canada in the group stage, Argentina faced the Canadians again and won by the same score, two to zero. With goals from Julián Álvarez and Messi, who scored his first goal in the competition, the team advanced to the final.
The brothers are now looking to surpass Uruguay’s number of titles and isolate themselves with 16 victories.
The team also has the Copa América top scorer, Lautaro Martínez, who has already scored four goals. He is seen by bookmakers as the favorite for the top scorer award, with odds of 1.08.
Copa América 2024 could break Colombia’s 23-year fast
Colombia, in turn, was leader of group D, but did not win the three group stage games. In their debut, they defeated Paraguay 2-1, and won against Costa Rica 3-0. But in the last round before the knockout stage, the Colombians tied with Brazil and advanced with seven points.
In the quarter-finals, Panama was defeated by the Colombian team and lost 5-0. However, in the semi-finals against Uruguay the game was much more difficult and the team counted on the talent of James Rodríguez in the competition.
After a corner kick, midfielder Jefferson Lerma scored with a header. It was enough to make it to the final. One to zero for Colombia against Uruguay in an exciting game.
This achievement breaks a 23-year taboo without reaching a decision. On that occasion, in 2001, ‘Los Cafeteros’ won the only title they have in the Copa América.
Special highlight for James Rodríguez, São Paulo midfielder. The number 10 reached six assists and became the player with the most passes for a goal in a single edition. He surpassed Messi, who in 2021 had made five passes on goal.
Argentina favorite to win Copa América 2024
Furthermore, with one goal, four man of the match awards, in five matches, and odds of 1.72, Rodríguez is considered the favorite to be named the best player of the tournament.
Therefore, the final between Argentina and Colombia promises to be historic. Because both teams are determined to write their names in the history of Copa América 2024.
The favoritism is all for Argentina in the bookmakers. On average, for every R$1.00 bet in Argentina, the return is R$2.18. With Colombia as champion, the same amount bet gives a return of R$3.50 for the bettor.
So, who will be the great champion of Copa América 2024?
