COPA AMERICA: Neymar's hunger could spell disaster for Lionel Messi's dream of an international trophy

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Brazil will be looking to win only their 10th Copa America title and also make it a consecutive title in the competition after winning the last edition, in 2019, beating Peru 3-1 in the final.

Neymar and Messi pictured in a match between Brazil and Argentina. Photo Credits: Twitter/ Planet Fútbol.

Neymar Jr. missed the tournament, after getting injured few days to the start of the competition, and now, the PSG Paris Saint Germain man is like a wounded lion, rearing for revenge.

The 29-year old forward is currently on a good form with the National Team, having been involved in nine goals in his last four games for Brazil.

His hunger for success clashes with the dream of his former Barcelona teammate, Lionel Messi, who is still hunting for a first international trophy for his country.

Messi, who turns 34 later this month has recorded several heartbreaks in the South America Nations tournament, losing all the three times he has played in the final of the competition, in 2007, 2015 and the centenario in 2016.

The six times Balon d or winner also managed a third place finish in the last edition held in 2019 and another quarter final finishing in 2011. It has been one heartbreak after another for the Barcelona captain.

The Argentine will almost be 38 in four years time, when another edition of the tournament will be played so he may not have a better chance of realizing his dream of international trophy, than in the 47th edition of the Copa America.

Neymar and Brazil have been phenomenon of late. Photo Credits: Twitter/ B/R Football.

However, the form of Neymar and Brazil will be another headache for Lionel Messi and 11 times South America champions Argentina, who last won the title in 1993.

Neymar will also be looking to win the Copa America having missed out Brazil's success last time out, and Argentina will need better lucks than they have had in recent years, in order to better their counterpart this summer.

Argentina are supposed to be the host of the tournament but was moved to Brazil few days before kick off, due to the escalating cases of COVID-19 in Argentina.

Brazil are in group B, where they will play the like of Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela and last year losing finalist Peru while Argentina will come up against Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and the most successful nation in the competition, Uruguay in group A.

The tournament gets underway later today, with Brazil taking on Venezuela at the National Stadium in Brasilia.


Afolabi Kehinde Hassan

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