It just wasn’t to be for Lionel Messi and co as they came agonizingly close to securing international glory, only to fall at the final hurdle. 12 months ago, a Mario Götze volley saw Argentina miss out on the World Cup, while Saturday night’s defeat to Chile was all the more heartbreaking given the manner of the defeat. Messi could leave the final in Santiago with his head held high - although didn't - but his teammates were unable to follow up on his goal in the penalty shootout, with Gonzalo Higuaín and Ever Banega both missing from 12 yards.
Nevertheless, failure to land the Copa America did not overshadow the Barcelona forward’s personal exploits. While he reportedly turned down the chance to be named player of the tournament, Messi secured a better rating (8.43) than any other player at Chile 2015 according to WhoScored. Expectations fell on the 28-year-old’s shoulders, as one might imagine, but while he performed admirably in the most part, it was not enough to guide Argentina to glory.
Many felt this was due to Tata Martino’s tactical naivety, which restricted Messi’s influence in the final third. This often saw the Barcelona star drop deep to get onto the ball for the Albiceleste, though this did little to hinder his drive when in possession. Messi made 20 more successful dribbles (43) than any other player at the Copa America. Meanwhile, no player registered more assists (3) at the competition than the ‘Flea’, who also created more clear-cut goalscoring chances (5) than any other player. The final may not have provided the fairytale ending Messi had hoped for, but, from a personal point of view, it was a successful competition for the Argentina captain.
Chile, meanwhile, ended the competition on the highest of highs as they secured the first Copa America title in their history, doing so on home turf. It’s fair to say the best team over the tournament came away victorious and it’s little wonder that Jorge Sampaoli’s team have no fewer than four players in WhoScored’s team of the tournament, more than any other nation.
Captain Claudio Bravo, midfield duo Arturo Vidal and Charles Aránguiz and forward Alexis Sánchez all star in the best-rated XI after each played a crucial role in Chile’s eventual win. Bravo made 13 saves and was forced to pick the ball out of his own net in just 2 of his 6 appearances, not including penalties. The 32-year-old has enjoyed a successful 12 months, forming part of the treble-winning Barcelona side, with the Copa America victory rounding off what has been memorable year.
Aranguiz was a creative force in the middle of the park having played 14 key passes over the duration of the tournament and was directly involved in 3 of Chile’s goals, with 2 goals and 1 assist to his name. Vidal’s exploits, though, overshadowed the Internacional midfielder’s performances, with the 28-year-oled netting 3 goals, registering 1 assist and mustering more shots on target (11) than any other player, which contributed to his WhoScored rating of 7.80. The Juventus star was at his tenacious best in his homeland, averaging a commendable 2.8 tackles and interceptions per game combined, reinforcing the notion that he is indeed one of the best midfielders in the game.
Alexis also stars in attack. While he may not have transferred his club form for his country, the Arsenal ace was still a handful for any team, with 23 successful dribbles bettered only by Messi. The 26-year-old scored the decisive penalty that secured Chile glory in what was an unforgettable Copa America for La Roja.
Elsewhere notable inclusions in the team of the tournament come in the form of Manchester United pairing Marcos Rojo and Ángel Di Maria. The latter in particular was at his very best for his national team, gaining a WhoScored rating of 7.90. Such form will have impressed United supporters, who are yet to see the best of the Premier League’s record signing since his arrival from Real Madrid. However, 2 goals, 2 assists, 14 accurate crosses - more than any other player - and a return of 2.2 tackles per game highlighted not only Di Maria’s creativity, but also the industrious side of the 27-year-old’s game that was perhaps lacking for United last season.
Similarly, Rojo arguably looked more effective at left-back for Argentina than he did at centre-back for United last season and Louis van Gaal must have taken into account the defender's performances in Chile. Rojo made more tackles and interceptions combined (32) than any other player at the Copa America, accentuating the 25-year-old’s strengths of ‘tackling’ and ‘ball interception’.
One player who can perhaps count himself lucky to be in the XI at all is Barcelona’s Dani Alves. Danilo was originally called up to the Brazil squad as first choice right-back, but was forced to pull out due to injury. Alves was drafted in as his replacement and did not disappoint. Only Messi created more clear-cut goalscoring chances than Alves (4), who did what he does best for club and country, which is yo-yo up and down the right flank, providing a further attacking outlet on his side of the pitch to register 2 assists.
Jeison Murillo - who was named young player of the tournament - and Giménez form a sold centre-back partnership, despite both Colombia and Uruguay, respectively, crashing out of the competition earlier than many had hoped. Murillo, who recently completed his switch to Inter, made more interceptions (19) than any other player at the Copa America. Giménez, meanwhile, won a noteworthy 3.8 aerial duels per game at the tournament and was directly involved in both of Uruguay’s goals, netting 1 goal and registering 1 assist.
For the second consecutive tournament, Paolo Guerrero finished the Copa America as top goalscorer, though this time he shared the accolade with Chile’s Eduardo Vargas. His 4 goals contributed to Peru’s 3rd-place finish, while his aerial ability was a real asset to La Blanquirroja, evident in that 31-year-old won more aerial duels (27) than any other player at the tournament.
Who stood out for you at the 2015 Copa America? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below
