Angel Di Maria, who scored the winning goal in the Copa America final, revealed what Lionel Messi told him ahead of the game.
Argentina beat Brazil 1-0 in the final at the Maracana Stadium, thanks to superb a first-half goal by Di Maria, who lobbed the ball over Ederson following an assist by Rodrigo De Paul.
It was Messi’s first international trophy at senior level, with Di Maria saying the Argentina captain gave him comforting words ahead of the match.
“We dreamed so much, we fought so much to achieve this. It’s unforgettable,” he said, as cited by Argentine journalist Roy Nemer.
“Messi told me thanks to me and I told him thanks to him. He told me (before the game) it would be my final, that it would be the revenge for the finals I couldn’t play. It had to be today and it was.
“We dreamed so much, we fought so much to achieve this. Rodrigo gave me a perfect pass. I finished it like in the match vs. Nigeria at the Olympics.”
