A solitary goal from Di Maria in Argentina vs Brazil Copa America final ensured Lionel Messi ended his major international title drought with l the national team.
Messi dished up four goals and five assists in six matches. Neymar delivered two goals and three assists in five games.
Messi, who has earned honours at Barcelona to become one of the two best footballers of this era alongside Ronaldo, is yet to win a major trophy in national colours.
Argentina has found a formula to try protect Messi, who now at age 34 plays much closer to the final third of the pitch.
It is believed the mocking was revenge on the Colombian defender for his wild celebration against Luis Suarez's Uruguay in the quarter-finals earlier.
Lionel Messi said that he is 'thrilled than ever' at the prospect of winning an elusive international trophy.
Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez saved three penalties in a shootout against Colombia — using some well-timed trash talk against his opponents — to put his team into Saturday's Copa America final against Brazil.
Since January, Messi has scored 33 goals and assisted a further 13 in 36 matches he appeared for Argentina and now-former club Barcelona.
Beat the impressive Ospina and Colombia, and Argentina will take on Brazil in Saturday's decider.
Messi has led Argentina to the semifinals where it plays Colombia on Tuesday at the Mané Garrincha Stadium in Brasilia.
Messi scored from a late freekick and earlier laid on two assists as Argentina eventually subdued Ecuador and kept the superstar's dream of winning his first major international title alive.
Messi crafted a beautiful free-kick in the closing minutes to ensure Argentina win 3-0 after assisting both Lautaro Martinez and Rodrigo de Paul goals on the night.
Argentina topped its group with three wins and one draw, and Messi in great shape. The captain scored three goals in the four games while setting a record for most Argentina caps.
Messi was officially no longer a Barcelona player on Thursday, following the expiration of his contract.
In a club career spanning over two decades with the Catalan giants, let's take a look at Lionel Messi top 10 goals with Barcelona.
Looking back, Messi won 35 titles in 17 seasons with Barcelona. He helped the club win the Champions League four times, the Spanish league 10 times, the Copa del Rey 7 times and the Spanish Super Cup 8 times.
More than two-decade-old relationship stands at the edge of separation as Messi yet to agree on a fresh contract with the Catalan giants.
Messi has some of the best statistics so far at the Copa America and hee capped the group stage on Monday with two goals and an assist in Argentina's 4-1 win over Bolivia.
The Barcelona superstar also became Argentina's most capped international player on Monday as this was his 148th appearance for Argentina.
Messi's two goals and one assist helped Argentina ensure top spot in Group A, setting up a quarterfinal against Ecuador on Saturday.
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