Football regulating bodies throughout the world had to take safeguards and follow health protocols to avoid the coronavirus threat. One of the most important decisions was to restrict supporters from entering the stadium. However, European football organizations and other regulating bodies in football had decided to let spectators into the stadium starting with the current season. Therefore, the second half of the year was far more satisfying for both organizers and fans. Let's look at the top ten most notable football incidents from 2021.  2021's Most Notable Football Events There were plenty of amazing football moments in the year 2021. Therefore, picking the top 10 was challenging. Here are the top ten most noteworthy moments in the year 2021.  Italy’s second EURO Championship win Italy were the underdog Prior to the EURO 2020, but they steadily improved as the competition progressed. Before facing England in the final, Italy won two closely-contested matches in the quarter-final and semi-final. They defeated Belgium 2-1 in the quarter-finals and then defeated Spain in a penalty shootout. After a 1-1 draw, Italy defeated England 3-2 on penalties in the final. It was Italy's second EURO title and the first since 1968. Read Champions League 2021-2022: PSG to face Real Madrid, Man Utd to face Atletico in the Round of 16 Argentina’s Copa America 2021 win Argentina's 15th Copa America championship came after a 28-year drought. In the meantime, they competed in four finals but lost all of them. The moment had finally come as Lionel Messi's Argentina team won the Copa America 2021, defeating Brazil 1-0 in the final. Chelsea’s Second UEFA Champions League victory When Frank Lampard was sacked in January, Chelsea were nowhere near their best. However, things began to change when Thomas Tuchel was appointed as Chelsea manager. His ideology has been well-taken by the players. Chelsea started to dominate the opposition with their pressing approach, ultimately reaching the Champions League 2021 final. They defeated Manchester City 1-0 in the final to win their second UEFA Champions League trophy. Read Independence Cup Football: Police book first-ever semifinal berth at Sheikh Russel KC’s expense Al Hilal’s AFC Champions League Victory  Saudi Arabian team Al Hilal won the 40th edition of the AFC Champions League, Asia's best club competition. They defeated Pohang Steelers of South Korea 2-0 in the final. Al Hilal became the most successful club in AFC Champions League history with this triumph. Palmeiras’ 2021 Copa Libertadores Victory Brazilian team Palmeiras won the Copa Libertadores 2021, Latin America's most prestigious club championship. It was their third championship in the competition's history. USA’s 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup Win  The United States won the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup in August. The USA acquired its seventh CONCACAF Gold Cup championship, defeating Mexico 1-0 in the final. Read National Football: Rangamati, Bagerhat districts win matches Lionel Messi’s seventh Ballon d’Or win The most talked-about topic of the year was who will win the Ballon d'Or 2021. Lewandowski was the clear favorite in the first half of the year. However, Jorginho of Italy and Lionel Messi of Argentina were considered favorites in the second half because of their national team success. Messi went on to win the trophy, which was his seventh overall.  Jorginho’s UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award Italian midfielder Jorginho was named UEFA Men's Player of the Year for his consistent performances for both club and nation. He was the only player to win both the Champions League and the EURO in 2021. Robert Lewandowski’s European Golden Shoe Award Bayern Munich's Polish striker Robert Lewandowski earned the European Golden Shoe Award after scoring 41 goals in the 2020-2021 Bundesliga season. Read Champions League 2021-2022: The Five Best Matches in the Group Stage Robert Lewandowski beats Gerd Muller’s Record Robert Lewandowski has been in outstanding form over the past several seasons, breaking individual records on a regular basis. Gerd Muller's most goals in a single season was one such unique record Lewandowski broke in last season. He scored 41 goals in the season, making him the highest goal scorer in a single Bundesliga season.     Aftermath So far, we have discussed the iconic football moments of 2021. A significant number of individual and team records were broken this year. Italy, Argentina, and the United States of America were the most successful nations, winning their respective continental championships in 2021. Italy set a new record for most consecutive victories, while Argentina have gone more than two years without losing. Lionel Messi's record-breaking seventh Ballon d'Or award was the most talked-about topic of the year. On the other hand, Jorginho and Lewandowski were always in the headlines for their consistent performances. Overall, 2021 was an eventful year. Read Ronaldo reaches 800 career goals as United beats Arsenal 3-2

Organizing tournaments in accordance with health guidelines due to the coronavirus was a unique experience for everyone. Nonetheless, there were a number of big sporting events that grabbed the attention of enthusiasts in the year 2021. From the United States' dominance in the 2020 Summer Olympics to Australia's maiden T20 World Cup victory, Italy and Argentina's continental championship victory, Novak Djokovic's record-breaking year, Hideki Matsuyama, the first Asian-born golfer’s Masters trophy win, this article highlights some of the most significant sporting events in 2021. A Look Back at the Noteworthy Moments of the Sports Year 2021   Almost all major athletic events resumed in the first quarter of 2021, following a disappointing year in 2020 because of the covid-19 epidemic. Some of the events that were scheduled for 2020 were pushed back to 2021. Summer Olympics 2020 in Japan, Euro 2020, and Copa America 2020 are among them. Initially, many sports events were held behind closed doors, which meant that no spectators were permitted inside the stadium. The covid-19 regulations provided a fresh experience for everyone, especially the players. Here are some of the year's most noteworthy sporting events. Read Expected personal milestones to achieve in the Upcoming NZ vs BAN Test Series 2022 Summer Olympics 2020: The United States maintained its dominance The 2020 Summer Olympics were held in Tokyo, Japan, from July 23 to August 8, 2021. The Games were the most expensive ever, costing more than $20 billion in total. The competition drew 11,656 athletes from 206 countries. The tournament featured 33 sporting events. Like in previous editions, the United States maintained its dominance in the competition. The United States of America took home most of the 113 medals, with 39 gold, 41 silver, and 33 bronze. China placed second in the overall rankings with 88 medals. They took home 38 gold medals, 32 silver medals, and 18 bronze medals. Burkina Faso, San Marino, and Turkmenistan all won their first-ever Olympic medals in this event. Marcell Jacobs of Italy won the most popular Olympic 100m sprint with a time of 9.80 seconds. He made history by being the first Italian to win a gold medal in the event. Elaine Thompson-Herah of Jamaica won the Women's 100 meters with an Olympic-record time of 10.61 seconds. Read Root: England's best option is to make brave calls Tokyo also hosted the 2020 Summer Paralympics two weeks later. The tournament drew 4,403 participants from 162 countries. China won the most medals with 207, followed by the United Kingdom with 124 and the United States with 104.

There is currently no one-off match competition in international football. However, the European Football Associations and the South American Football Organizations have agreed to hold a competition between the continental champions. As a result, the winners of the Copa America 2021 and the UEFA EURO 2020 champions will meet in a championship match next year. The match will take place in June 2022 if all goes as planned. The initial details of Argentina vs. Italy Super Cup match are discussed in this article.    Read:South America World Cup 2022 Qualifiers: Argentina, Brazil to face Uruguay in October The Preliminary Specifics of Argentina vs. Italy Super Cup match  On September 28, UEFA announced its agreement with the South American football organization to hold a competition between the two continental champions. Since Italy won the Euro 2020 and Argentina won the Copa America 2021, they will face off in the inaugural edition of the competition in June 2022. However, the venue and the date of the match have yet to be announced. UEFA stated in a media release that the two organizations' agreement presently covers three editions of this match between their respective continental winners, as well as the establishment of a joint office in London to manage projects of mutual interest. Women's football, futsal, junior categories, referee exchanges, and technical training programs will be incorporated into the partnership between the two continental bodies. Read:Ballon d'Or 2021: Five favorites to win the coveted award Argentina vs. Italy Super Cup: Who is favorite to win the Match? Argentina and Italy are two of the most powerful football nations in the world. They have faced off 15 times in a head-to-head contest. Italy have won five games, four by Argentina, and four have finished in a draw. In their last meeting, Argentina won 2-0 in a friendly match against Italy in 2018 at Manchester's Etihad Stadium. Argentina have won 17 major international tournaments, including two World Cups (1978 and 1986). On the other hand, Italy have won six major titles, including four World Cups (1934, 1938, 1982, and 2006).   Read:Barcelona coach Koeman says rumors of firing 'probably true' Argentina won the Copa America for the first time in 28 years last July, defeating Brazil in the final by a score of 1-0. Prior to this tournament, Argentina had won the Copa America in 1993. On the other hand, last July, Italy won the UEFA EURO 2020 tournament for the second time, overcoming England in the final on penalties. Italy won its first European Championship in 1968. Considering the overall strength of both teams, it can be predicted that Italy is going to dominate Argentina. Though Italy have some of the finest players in the world, Argentina have great team chemistry. Argentina's team is capable of thriving against any opponent despite its lack of quality in the squad. However, the Super Cup will be a one-off contest, thus the team that performs best on the day will likely be the winner. Read:Man Utd vs. Villarreal: Cristiano Ronaldo’s late goal gives Manchester United a dramatic win Bottom Line The details of the inaugural edition of the competition between the two continental champions will be announced later by UEFA and CONMEBOL. According to some sources, Argentina vs. Italy Super Cup match will be named after football legend Diego Armando Maradona. The main purpose of this match is to enhance the tie between the two continental boards. Because no other team has won the World Cup outside of these two continents. Many believe that the actual motive for this movement is to form a powerful ally against FIFA. Because FIFA prefers to have World Cup tournaments every two years, but UEFA and CONMEBOL are both opposed to the idea.

We are all familiar with a one-off contest between the champions at the club level. However, international football does not have such a competition, with the exception of the confederations cup, which is contested every four years. A 'Super Cup' between the Copa America 2021 and UEFA EURO 2020 winners is now being proposed. If all goes according to plan, we may see a match between South America and European football champions later this year. The Maradona Super Cup would be the name of the trophy. The Prediction of the one-off tie between Argentina vs. Italy is discussed in this article. Argentina vs. Italy: Who is favorite to win Maradona Super Cup? Argentina and Italy are two of the world's football superpowers. So, they always enter any competition as title contenders. Argentina have won 17 major trophies at the international level, including two World Cups (1978 and 1986). On the other side, Italy, have won six major trophies, including four World Cups (1934, 1938, 1982, and 2006). Argentina and Italy have met each other 15 times in a head-to-head battle. Italy have won five times, Argentina have won four times, and four games have ended in a tie. Argentina haven't lost a match against Italy since 1987. Read:Ballon d'Or 2021 Predictions: Lionel Messi in Pole Position to Win the Coveted Award They have met five times in the World Cup. Argentina won a match against Italy at the 1990 World Cup, while Italy have won two matches against Argentina. In their last meeting on March 23, 2018, Argentina defeated Italy 2-0 in a friendly match at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester. Argentina have won the South American Championship for the first time in 28 years, beating Brazil 1-0 in the Copa America 2021 final. Argentina had previously won the Copa America in 1993. Argentina appeared in five finals despite failing to win a trophy in the previous three decades, including four Copa America (2004, 2007, 2015, and 2016) and the 2014 World Cup. Read:Euro 2020: Police investigate racist abuse of 3 England footballers On the other side, Italy have won the European Championship for the second time after defeating England in a penalty shootout in the Euro 2020 final. Italy won its first European Championship in the year 1968. Aside from that, the Italian national team were having a difficult time following their 2006 World Cup victory. They have gained a lot of confidence after winning a major tournament for the first time in 15 years. Given the overall strength of the two squads, Italy will edge over Argentina. Because Italy have some of the best footballers in the world while Argentine have a fantastic team understanding. Led by Messi, the relatively less talented Argentina team is capable of flourishing against any opponent. Read:EURO 2020 Final: Italy Seal European Football Championship Because the Maradona Super Cup will be a one-off affair, the side that can perform at its best on any given day will be crowned champion. The ideal playing XI for both teams if the match is held in the near future. Probable Starting XI (Argentina) Emiliano Martinez (GK), Molina, Pezzella, Tagilafico, Romero, Rodríguez, Paredes, Di María, Gómez, Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez Probable Starting XI (Italy) Donnarumma (GK), Di Lorenzo, Spinazzola, Chiellini, Bonucci, Jorginho, Barella, Verratti, Chiesa, Insigne, Immobile Read:Racist abuse targets 3 English players who missed penalties Verdict In honor of the late football legend Diego Armando Maradona, the proposed Maradona Super Cup between Argentina and Italy will most likely be held in the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Naples. The associations of European Football and South American Football are already in talks to arrange a date for the showdown between the Copa America 2021 and UEFA EURO 2020 champions. Italy will be a strong candidate to win the one-off contest as they have a more balanced squad than Argentina. However, Lionel Messi's Argentina will do everything to win the tie as a homage to Diego Maradona. It will definitely be a fascinating contest. Read Copa America 2021 Final: Di Maria’s Early Strike Sinks Brazil

Argentina clinched the Copa America 2021 after beating Brazil 1-0 on Sunday (11th June) in front of nearly 5,000 spectators at the Maracana Stadium. Albiceleste adopted a cautious approach to the game after Di Maria gave them an early lead while Brazil did their best to cut the lead but were unable to do so due to a determined Argentine defense.Messi had a golden opportunity to score in the final towards the end of the match but instead blew it because he couldn't keep control of the ball. The match report of the Copa America 2021 final is discussed in this article. Read:Messi’s Argentina beats Brazil 1-0, wins Copa America title Match Report of Copa America 2021 Final: Argentina vs Brazil Argentina won the Copa America for the first time in 28 years courtesy of Angel Di Maria's stunning first-half goal.Argentina took an early lead in the 22nd minute of the final match at the iconic Maracana Stadium as veteran attacking midfielder Angel Di Maria put the ball into the Brazil net after receiving a perfect cross from midfielder Rodrigo de Paul. Before Di Maria's goal, both teams tried to play a little more carefully. But after falling behind by one goal, Brazil began to dominate the game and had complete control of the ball. They were creating opportunities, but a tenacious Argentine defense denied them. Read:Brazil and Argentina both have keys to win Copa America Brazil ramped up the heat in the second half and despite putting all of their best-attacking players on the field they were unable to equalize against an Argentine defense led by two great midfielders, Rodrigo de Paul and Paredes. Messi was unusually silent throughout the contest. He squandered a wonderful opportunity to put the game away from Brazil with two minutes left in the game. However, Brazil were unable to score in the end, and Argentina won the championship. Read Euro 2020 final: Italy holds historical edge over England Messi finished as a joint top scorer with 5 goals and won the best player award along with Neymar. The referee issued nine yellow cards In the Copa America 2021 final. Brazil got four yellow cards, while Argentina received five. This was Brazil's first competitive loss since the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia when they were defeated by Belgium while Argentina have gone undefeated in 20 games under head coach Lionel Scaloni. Read: Brazil and Argentina clash in a soccer final for 5th time Bottom Line Argentina won their record 15th Copa America championship thanks to an early goal by Angel Di Maria. Neymar's Brazil put forth a valiant effort throughout the match, but the Argentine defense held firm for the majority of the time, and Brazil was unable to score. This is Argentina's first major trophy in almost three decades. Prior to this year's edition, they last won the Copa America in 1993. Football sensation Lionel Messi also earned his first major title with the Argentine national team after appearing in five finals, including four Copa America and the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. The Copa America 2021 had seen some incredible individual performances, and the best team ultimately won the tournament. Read Copa America 2021: Lionel Messi vs Neymar da Silva

Brazil and Argentina have several keys that could see either team win the Copa America title on Saturday at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Led by a Barcelona -style Lionel Messi, Argentina players appear convinced they will put an end to a 28-year title drought. Its opponent Brazil looks even better than two years ago when it lifted Copa America without Neymar and with fans on the stands. Brazil seeks its 10th South American title, while Argentina is going for its 15th, which would put it level with record winners Uruguay. Here are some reasons why both teams have what it takes to win the title. ARGENTINA MESSI: the team captain is playing his best tournament with Argentina since his debut in 2005. He’s scored four goals and has five assists so far. Beyond his playmaking virtues, the 34-year-old is looking comfortable as a leader on the pitch — in a contrast with the shy Messi of past tournaments. EMILIANO MARTÍNEZ: he is the first goalkeeper to stop three penalties in a shootout in Argentina’s history. Against Colombia, he trash-talked his opponents before each shot, which apparently worked. He looks safe in the position, has a good footwork and blocks crosses with precision. Also read: Brazil and Argentina clash in a soccer final for 5th time LIONEL SCALONI: The young coach took over as an intern in 2018 to leave behind Argentina’s meltdown in the 2018 World Cup when the team lost to France in the round of 16. Now he is responsible for a renewal to team players like defender Cristian Romero, winger Nicolás González and goalkeeper Martínez. LAUTARO MARTÍNEZ: The striker nearly lost his position to veteran Sergio Agüero after a slow start in the tournament, but he has now scored in the last three matches. He tires opponents with his runs, opens gaps for Messi and still scores some goals. PROTECTION TO MESSI: Rodrigo de Paul and Giovani Lo Celso are not the most creative midfielders in the world. But they are still high-level passers who will sacrifice defending so Messi can shine in the final third. Leandro Paredes and Guido Rodriguez also take that responsibility in the center, no matter who is playing. BRAZIL STEADINESS: Brazil won five matches and drew against Ecuador when it fielded a team with six substitutes. So far, the Selecao has scored in every match and conceded only two goals in the group stage. It usually plays better in the second half, when most of its opponents are fatigued. Substitutes have managed to keep the team’s intensity high when they join in. Also read: Copa America 2021: Lionel Messi vs Neymar da Silva NEYMAR: His dribbles, passes and shots add to Brazil’s steadiness. Neymar scored two goals and had three assists in five matches — he was rested against Ecuador. His exchanges with midfielder Lucas Paquetá made Brazil more fluid up front. As Neymar showed against Peru in the semifinal, he can still come up with tricks that result in goals. TITE: Brazil’s coach has used the tournament to test playing alternatives, eyeing the World Cup in Qatar. As a result, his team depends less on Neymar and adapts well to different situations. By using Gabriel Jesus as a winger, he created opportunities for new players to step up as target men, including Roberto Firmino and Gabriel Barbosa. Tite has also found Paquetá as a promising box-to-box player. DEFENDERS: Veteran Thiago Silva is still in top form, Marquinhos is as quick as most strikers and Éder Militão has proven to be a potential Brazil starter in the long run. The two goals Brazil conceded at Copa America came on an unstoppable volley by Luis Diaz against Colombia and by Angel Mena in a rare mistake against Ecuador.

The semifinal round of the ongoing South American Championship came to an end on Wednesday (July 7) morning. Brazil eliminated Peru 1-0 in the first semifinal, while Argentina defeated Colombia 3-2 in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw in the second semifinal.We will be witnessing an Argentina vs Brazil final for the first time in 15 years on Sunday, July 11th at 6 a.m. (BST). They last met in a final in 2007, where Brazil crushed Argentina 3-0 in the Copa America. Prediction of the Argentina vs. Brazil final of this year’s Copa America tournament is discussed in this article. Read:Copa America 2021: Martinez the Hero as Argentina Advance to Final Argentina’s Chances of Winning the Copa America 2021 Argentina is often considered one of the world's greatest footballing nations. So, they've always been a favorite in any major tournament. They haven't won a major championship since 1993 despite reaching the 2014 World Cup final and South American championship finals in 2004, 2007, 2015, and 2016. Argentina should win this year's championship in tribute to Lionel Messi as it is almost certain that this will be his final Copa America competition and, realistically, his last chance to win a major title with Argentina. That's why the Argentine team will be pumped up to win Copa America this time. Read Euro 2020 final: England can finally end 55 years of misery Argentina's defense is fragile as usual, but goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez's heroic performance against Colombia in the semifinal helped Argentina reach the final, and he will give them extra confidence ahead of Argentina vs Brazil final. They have some talented strikers and midfielders. Among them are Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Angel Di Maria, and Lautaro Martinez, all of whom are world-class players. One of the most essential things is consistency. Argentina were shaky at first, but they have subsequently played with a lot of confidence in the ongoing competition. Moreover, this group of players firmly believes they can finally win Copa America. The main worry is that Argentina are unable to cope with the strain of the final. They will have to play smart in the final to win the South American Championship for the first time in 28 years. Read Italy beats Spain on penalties, reaches Euro 2020 final Key Players Who Could Make the Difference Emiliano Martinez (GK), Lionel Messi (Goals: 4; Assists: 5), LautaroMartínez (Goals: 3), Alejandro Darío Gómez (Goals: 2), Angel Di Maria Probable Starting XI Emiliano Martinez (GK), Tagilafico, Romero, Molina, Pezzella, Rodríguez, Di María, Paredes, Lionel Messi, Gómez, Lautaro Martinez Read:Argentina advances on penalties to Copa final against Brazil Brazil’s Chances of Winning the Copa America 2021 The defending champion Brazil will be the favorite against Argentina in the championship match. This Brazilian team features a lot of standout players who may create a real problem on the opposition defense. The Brazilian team is quite strong in every department. Brazil will win the South American Championship if they can play sensibly in the final against arch-rival Argentina. Neymar is at the center of the Brazilian attack. They generally attack the opponent's area while keeping the ball in their possession. Taking control of the game against Brazil is always difficult for the opposing side. Read Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar: Who Has Acquired Most International Achievements? Neymar, Ederson, Paqueta, Casemiro, and Captain Thiago Silva are playing well for the Brazilian national side. The Seleção have done well so far in this competition. They had shown more promise in the semifinal encounter against Peru, despite winning by a lone goal. This performance will certainly boost their confidence ahead of the Argentina vs Brazil final. Key Players Who Could Make the Difference EdersonMoraes (GK), Neymar (Goals: 2; Assists: 3), Lucas Paqueta (Goals:2), Everton Soares (Assists: 1), Fred (Assists: 1) Probable Starting XI EdersonMoraes (GK), Thiago Silva, Danilo, Marquinhos, Alex Sandro, Everton, Casemiro, Richarlison, Fred, Gabriel Jesús and Neymar Read:Brazil edges Peru to reach Copa America final Verdict The Argentina vs Brazil final will take place at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro, and the football world is anticipating an exciting contest between these two teams. Neymar's Brazil won the Copa America 2019 tournament and will be a strong contender to defend their title. Interestingly, only Lionel Messi is competing in this year's South American Championship among the players from both teams that competed in the 2007 edition. Messi's last genuine chance of winning a major tournament with Argentina is likely to be this one. So, they will play their hearts out to win the competition. Read Argentina beats Ecuador at Copa, plays Colombia in semifinal

Argentina have advanced to the Copa America 2021 final after defeating Colombia in a penalty shootout in the early morning of Wednesday (7th July) in Brasilia. After taking an early lead in the contest, Albiceleste struggled throughout the match against Colombia, and within the first 20 minutes of the second half, Colombia had equalized. The match finished in a 1-1 draw, and the winner was determined in a penalty shootout, which Argentina won 3-2 to proceed to the final. The match report of the second semifinal of Copa America 2021 is discussed in this article. Match Report: Argentina vs Colombia Argentina advanced to the Copa America 2021 final after holding their nerve from the penalty spot to beat Colombia 3-2 in a shootout after a thrilling 1-1 draw at the end of Wednesday's second semifinal. The Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was the match's hero, saving three penalties in the penalty shootout. Martinez saved penalty kicks from Davinson Sanchez, Yerry Mina, and Edwin Cardona. On the other hand, Lionel Messi, Leandro Paredes, and Lautaro Martinez all scored from the penalty spot to send Argentina to the final. Read:Argentina advances on penalties to Copa final against Brazil Argentina haven't won a major tournament since 1993, thus this will be another excellent opportunity for Messi and Argentina to win a big championship. Lionel Messi had played in 149 international matches for Argentina before this encounter. Messi is now only the second South American player to play more than 150 international matches, behind Iván Hurtado (168). Messi has 76 goals in 150 appearances for Argentina, the eighth-most in international football history. He only needs one more goal to surpass Pele as the South American continent's all-time leading scorer. Read:Brazil edges Peru to reach Copa America final Despite the fact that Messi did not score in the encounter against Colombia, he had a key role in the game's opening goal, which came in the seventh minute. Messi handed the ball to Lautaro Martinez after rushing through Colombia's defense. Martinez made no mistakes and slammed the ball into the back of the net. Argentina adopted a more defensive strategy after taking a 1-0 lead early in the game. On the other side, Colombia got anxious to score. They continued to press the Argentine defense, especially in the second half, and Luis Diaz's stunning run down the left-wing helped them score in the 61st minute. He runs with the ball quickly before putting it in the bottom right corner of the net to cut the lead. It was a fantastic effort on his part. Read Italy beats Spain on penalties, reaches Euro 2020 final Colombia played carefully after leveling the game, but Argentina made a valiant effort to retake the lead. Lionel Messi twice came close to scoring the second goal for Argentina, but the Colombian defense prevented him both times and the match ended 1-1. After winning the penalty shootout, Argentina secured a place in the championship match against Brazil. Meanwhile, Argentina are unable to attack efficiently due to a lack of quality in the midfield. They try to charge with two wings, but thus far it hasn't worked well. If Argentina fails to fix this issue before the crucial championship match against Brazil, they would be in serious trouble.Argentina and Brazil will play the final match at the Maracana stadium on Sunday 11th July(6 a.m. /BST). Read:Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar: Who Has Acquired Most International Achievements? Bottom Line In the second semifinal, Argentina and Colombia had a reasonably decent match, and the best team eventually advanced to the final. Albiceleste captain Lionel Messi has now earned 150 caps, making him the first Argentine and only the second South American to do so. But it was goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez who emerged as the match's true hero.Argentina progressed to the Copa America 2021 final thanks to his excellent performance in the penalty shootout. Read Longtime tormentor Italy stands in way of Spain at Euro 2020

Argentina’s Lionel Messi, Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, and Brazil’s Neymar are the three most popular footballers in the world right now. They have a massive fan base all around the world because of their footballing talent. Interestingly, none of them have much international success for their respective countries, which is very surprising.However, the success they have achieved internationally is no less important. They all have the capacity to continue playing professional football for a few more years, giving them the chance to better their international records. In this article, we looked at who has gained most international achievements among Messi, Ronaldo, and Neymar? Read:Argentina beats Ecuador at Copa, plays Colombia in semifinal Lionel Messi's International Record for Argentina Lionel Messi was born in 1987 and made his international debut for Argentina against Hungary at the age of 18 in 2005. Since then, he has appeared in the most international matches (149) and scored the most goals (76) for Argentina. Lionel Messi has played in five Copa America tournaments and four FIFA World Cup events. Argentina has reached three Copa America finals (2007, 2015, and 2016) and one FIFA World Cup final (2014), but Messi has yet to win a major trophy with his country.Lionel Messi is now competing in his sixth Copa America championship in Brazil, and it is expected that he will finally win a major tournament with the Argentina national team. Despite the fact that he has yet to win a big title with Argentina's senior team, he has some significant success with Argentina's junior teams. In 2005, he won the FIFA U20 World Cup, and in 2008, he earned the Summer Olympic Gold Medal. Lionel Messi’s international stats: Matches: 149* | Goals: 76 | Assists: 55  Read:Euro2020 semi-finalists have been determined Cristiano Ronaldo’s International Record for Portugal Cristiano Ronaldo was born in 1985 and made his international debut for Portugal against Kazakhstan at the age of 18 in 2003. Along with Iran's Ali Daei, he has scored the most international goals (109) and has played the most international matches (179) for Portugal. Cristiano Ronaldo has played in five UEFA European Championships and four FIFA World Cups. During this time, Portugal has been in two European Championship finals, the first in 2004 and the second in 2016, winning the latter by defeating France in the decider. Portugal have never qualified for a FIFA World Cup final; their best finish was fourth place in the 2006 edition. Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal national team also won the inaugural edition of the UEFA Nations League in 2019. Cristiano Ronaldo’s international stats: Matches: 179* | Goals: 109 | Assists: 41  Read:Denmark beats Czechs 2-1 to reach Euro 2020 semifinals Neymar’s International Record for Brazil Born in 1992, Neymar made his international debut for Brazil against the United States at the age of 18 in 2010. Since then, he has appeared in 109 international matches for Brazil, scoring 68 goals. He only needs 10 more goals to surpass Pele as the all-time leading scorer for Brazil. Neymar has competed in five Copa America tournaments, winning the most recent one in 2019. He has also competed in two FIFA World Cups (2014 and 2018), with his best performance with the Brazilian national team being a fourth-place finish in the 2014 edition. He also won the Summer Olympic Gold Medal in 2016. Neymar’s international stats: Matches: 109* | Goals: 68| Assists: 46 Read:Brazil beats Chile at Copa America despite 2nd-half red card Bottom Line After evaluating the career achievements of Messi, Ronaldo, and Neymar in the international sphere, it is clear that Cristiano has a better record than the other two. Cristiano Ronaldo has won a UEFA EURO Championship and the Nations League in 2019, while Neymar has won the Copa America in 2019. On the other hand, Lionel Messi has yet to win a major tournament with the national team.

Prior to the start of Copa America 2021, Brazil were a clear favourites to retain the title. As the tournament progressed, Argentina have shown more consistency and a stronger determination to win their first Copa America championship in 28 years.On the other side, Italy were considered one of the outsiders to lift the UEFA EURO 2020, with many football experts predicting Belgium and France as the favourites.However, Italy have shown more maturity and have played some of the most exciting football in the competition. Argentina and Italy are both keen to end their continental trophy droughts, as discussed in this article. Why Argentina are favourites to win the Copa America 2021? Argentina have always been one of the favorites in the South American Championship, but they haven't won the Copa America since 1993 despite reaching the final four times during this time.This is Lionel Messi's final Copa America tournament, and they should win it in his honor. Argentina's Copa America campaign in 2021 started with a 1-1 draw against Chili, but they went on to win the remainder of their group stage matches and the quarter-final encounter against Ecuador. Read UEFA EURO 2020: Quarter Finals Preview   Argentina will play against Colombia in their semifinal match at EstádioNacionalManéGarrincha in Brasilia on Wednesday. Argentina should easily qualify for the final based on their current form, and we can anticipate them to face Brazil in the championship match. So the question remains, how will this rejuvenated Argentina team perform against the Brazilian side in this year's final? Consistency is one of the most important factors. Argentina have improved and displayed more consistency in the competition. Initially, they were shaky, but Argentina have since played with a lot of confidence. Importantly, this set of players believes they can win the tournament.  Read Copa America 2021: Quarter Finals Preview   On the other hand, Brazil have struggled in their past two matches and would need to re-establish their rhythm before the crucial final. If they can't, Argentina will seize the opportunity to win a record 15th South American Championship. Three important players for Argentina Romero (Defender), Lionel Messi (Forward), Lautaro Martinez (Forward) Probable Playing XI Martinez (GK), Tagilafico, Romero, Molina, Pezzella, Rodríguez, Di María, Paredes, Lionel Messi, Gómez, Lautaro Martinez Read Denmark beats Czechs 2-1 to reach Euro 2020 semifinals Copa America 2021 Semifinal & Final Fixtures Date Match Venue & Time (BST) Semifinal July 6 (Tuesday) Brazil vs Peru Rio de Janeiro (5 AM) July 7 (Wednesday) Argentinavs Colombia Brasília (7 AM) Third place play off July 10 (Saturday) Loser Match 25 vs Loser Match 26 Brasília (6 AM) Final July 11 (Sunday) Winner Match 25 vs Winner Match 26 Rio de Janeiro (6 AM) Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Copa_Am%C3%A9rica Read Brazil beats Chile at Copa America despite 2nd-half red card   Why Italy are favourites to win the UEFA EURO 2020? Italy haven't won a major trophy since the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and they haven't won the European Championship since 1968. So, Italy will be hoping to win their second UEFA EURO Championship this year. Many experts anticipated that Italy would have a slim chance of winning the tournament, but they have surpassed expectations by playing the most entertaining brand of football in the game. They finished top in the group stage points table but struggled a bit in the Round of 16 match against Austria. However, Italy had demonstrated their true capabilities in the quarter-final match against hot favourites Belgium, winning 2-1 and securing a spot in the semifinal. Read Italy advances to semifinals at Euro 2020   Italy should win against Spain in the semifinal, but they will have to fight hard against England, who are in great form at the moment. While, after defeating Belgium, Italy are full of confidence and will make it difficult for England to win their first European Championship trophy. Argentina and Italy are both confident that they will end their continental trophy droughts with their current form. Three important players for Italy Donnarumma (GK), Chiellini (Defender), Insigne (Forward) Probable Playing XI Donnarumma (GK), Chiellini, Bonucci, Di Lorenzo, Spinazzola, Barella, Jorginho, Chiesa, Verratti, Insigne, Immobile Read Spain beats Switzerland in penalty shootout UEFA EURO 2020 Semifinal & Final Fixtures Date Match Venue & Time (BST) Semifinal July 7 (Wednesday) Italyvs Spain Wembley Stadium, London (1 AM) July 8 (Thursday) Englandvs Denmark Wembley Stadium, London (1 AM) Final July 12 (Monday) Winner Match 49 vs Winner Match 50 Wembley Stadium, London (1 AM) Sources: https://www.uefa.com/ Read BPL, BCL Football matches postponed Verdict After analyzing the qualities of the teams and current form, it is clear that Argentina and Italy are both keen to end their continental trophy droughts. Argentina are the overwhelming favourites to win Copa America 2021. But their most likely final opponent, Brazil will make it difficult for them.On the other hand, England are in excellent condition and will give it their best to win their first European championship. However, Italy are now a strong favourites to win their second UEFA EURO Championship, especially after eliminating Belgium in the quarter-final. Overall, we expect the best teams will win their respective tournaments. Read BPL Football: Dhaka Abahani earn 2-0 victory over Ctg Abahani