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Argentina are the Copa America 2021 champions, having beaten Brazil in the final of the competition to lift the prestigious trophy.
This concludes what was an eventful Copa America, with various excellent performances and some surprising ones as well. Argentina and Brazil were the two best sides in the competition, but the likes of Peru and Colombia did well despite missing some key players.
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Some of the best players in the world participated in the tournament, while the likes of Emiliano Martinez and Luis Diaz endeared themselves to the global audience with their displays.
We look at the Team of the Tournament for Copa America 2021.
Goalkeeper - Emiliano Martinez (Argentina / Aston Villa)
Emiliano Martinez was one of the players of Copa America 2021, and on current form it can be argued that he is one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
After limited minutes with Arsenal, Martinez joined Aston Villa last summer for £15.5 million. The shot-stopper was excellent for Dean Smith's side in the season gone by, and was one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League, earning him a call-up to the Argentina national team.
Given that Martinez made his debut for the senior side this year, his rise has been astonishing. The 28-year old was the starting goalkeeper for Argentina at Copa America 2021, and in the semi-final saved three penalties in the shootout against Colombia.
Centre-back - Marquinhos (Brazil / Paris Saint-Germain)
Marquinhos was a consistent presence at centre-back throughout Brazil's Copa America 2021 campaign, with Thiago Silva and Eder Militao alternating as his partners.
The Brazilian has flourished at Paris Saint-Germain and is one of the most underrated players in Europe right now. Marquinhos is well regarded for his composure on the ball as well as his physical qualities, while his leadership and intelligence have also been appreciated.
The 27-year old was arguably the best defender at Copa America 2021. Brazil may have lost the final, but Marquinhos can hold his head high.
Centre-back - Cristian Romero (Argentina / Atalanta)
Cristian Romero was not a consistent presence for Argentina at Copa America 2021, and made only three starts at the tournament.
Injuries saw Romero miss a huge chunk of games at Copa America 2021. However, his influence was extremely evident during his limited minutes. His positional awareness and reading of the game saw Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni start him in the final of Copa America 2021, despite lingering doubts over his fitness.
Romero justified his inclusion in the first XI. The 23-year old was at his dominant best against Brazil, and played a crucial role in stopping many Brazilian attacks. It is not a surprise to see Romero being linked with clubs like Manchester United.
Centre-back - Nicolas Otamendi (Argentina / Benfica)
Nicolas Otamendi was at his very best in the Copa America 2021 final, rattling opponents and producing his trademark aggressive tackles.
Otamendi's style of play has often been criticised, but there is a reason he started for Manchester City under Pep Guardiola and has been Argentina's first choice centre-back for some time now. Physically gifted and courageous, Otamendi is a team player.
The centre-back has 80 caps for the Argentina senior side and is one of the most experienced members of the squad. At Copa America 2021, Otamendi did little wrong.
Also Read: Copa America 2021: 5 best defenders in the tournament so far
Right midfielder - Lucas Paqueta (Brazil / Lyon)
Lucas Paqueta was one of Brazil's stars at Copa America 2021, and was a crucial figure for his nation in the latter stages of the tournament.
After a disappointing spell with AC Milan, Paqueta joined Lyon last summer and was one of the best midfielders in Ligue 1 during the 2020-21 season. After a slow start to the Copa America 2021 campaign, Paqueta scored winners against Chile and Peru in the quarter-final and semi-final respectively, and started in the final against Argentina.
A highly creative midfielder, Paqueta looks set to enjoy a bright future in the game. The 23-year old has been linked with Real Madrid in recent days.
Central midfielder - Rodrigo De Paul (Argentina / Udinese)
Rodrigo De Paul provided the assist for the sole goal in the final of Copa America 2021, and it perfectly encapsulated the excellent tournament he had.
His assist for Angel Di Maria's goal has to go down as the assist of the tournament. De Paul was magnificent in Argentina's midfield, contributing both defensively and offensively and impressing with his creativity and tenacity.
De Paul is set to join Atletico Madrid soon from Udinese. The 27-year old had been Udinese's star man in recent seasons and it will be interesting to see how the Serie A club replace him.
Central midfielder - Casemiro (Brazil / Real Madrid)
Casemiro was a constant presence in the first XI for Brazil at Copa America 2021, and was one of the better midfielders in the tournament.
Regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders in world football, Casemiro has firmly established himself as a starter for both club and country. The 29-year old is now one of the leaders in the locker room for Brazil, and his influence continues to grow on a regular basis.
The Real Madrid star is a defensive behemoth who excels at protecting his defence. Casemiro is now an integral part of the midfield for Brazil, and at Copa America 2021 he produced some towering performances.
Left midfielder - Luis Diaz (Colombia / Porto)
Colombia reached the semi-final of Copa America 2021, and the performances of Luis Diaz played a crucial role in their run.
In the absence of attacker James Rodriguez and subpar performances from Luis Muriel and Duvan Zapata, Diaz was the main man in attack for Colombia. He scored the equaliser in the semi-final against Argentina, and registered a brace against Peru in the match for 3rd place, which Colombia won 3-2.
Diaz finished the Copa America 2021 tournament with four goals, alongside Lionel Messi. The 24-year old's performances would not have gone unnoticed; Tottenham Hotspur are said to be tracking him.
Also Read: Copa America 2021: 5 best players from the semi-finals
Attacking midfielder - Lionel Messi (Argentina / Barcelona)
The wait is finally over. Lionel Messi has won an international trophy with Argentina, and the relief was clear on his face after the final whistle in the Copa America 2021 final.
Messi was comfortably the best player at Copa America 2021, scoring four goals and providing five assists. The 34-year old was at his influential best throughout the tournament. While his impact in the final may have been minimal, there is little to complain about as far as Messi's Copa America 2021 performances are concerned.
The forward's inability to win a trophy with Argentina was often a sticking point in an otherwise storied career, but Messi has silenced his critics with the Copa America 2021 victory.
Also Read: 5 reasons why Brazil could struggle against Argentina | Copa America 2021 final
Forward - Neymar (Brazil / Paris Saint-Germain)
Neymar, like his Brazil teammates, struggled to make a meaningful impact in the Copa America 2021 final.
Having said that, he was Brazil's most important player at Copa America 2021. One of the best players in world football, Neymar scored two goals and provided three assists at the tournament, and was the best player in the tournament after Lionel Messi.
The 29-year old cut an inconsolable figure after Brazil's loss to Argentina. Brazil's talisman and their main source of inspiration in attack, Neymar might need to win an international trophy with Brazil to cement his legacy as one of the greatest.
Forward - Gianluca Lapadula (Peru / Benevento)
Peru did incredibly well to reach the semi-final of Copa America 2021, where they lost to Brazil.
Gianluca Lapadula was their best performer. Born in Italy, the striker appeared for the likes of Cesena, Teremo and Pescara, before joining AC Milan in 2016. After limited minutes with the Serie A giants, Lapadula represented Genoa and Lecce, and currently plays for Benevento.
The 31-year old made his debut for Peru in 2020, and scored three goals at Copa America 2021. While a move to a bigger club looks unlikely at this stage, Lapadula's Peru career has just begun.
Also Read: Copa America 2021: Ranking the 5 best players from the tournament
