Lionel Messi

Last night in Belo Horizonte, Brazil defeated Argentina 2-0 to advance to the final of the 2019 Copa América, thus prolonging Lionel Messi’s wait for a crowning glory in international play. 

The match was a real humdinger, featuring a Seleção side frightening in both defense and attack and an Albiceleste unit that didn’t make playing cohesive football look like an impossible task. This was probably the best Argentina’s looked since 2016.

Brazil secured passage to the 2019 Copa América Final in Rio de Janeiro with a 2-0 victory over Argentina on Tuesday, marking another low point in the calamitous international career of Lionel Messi.

To be fair to Messi and his compatriots, Brazil was the massive favorite in this one, and the squad features a defense that’s now gone 450 minutes without conceding a goal. In attack, the likes of Roberto Firmino, Gabriel Jesus and the ageless Dani Alves put on a show, mastering a La Albiceleste side that played its best game of the tournament.

Even before Tuesday night's Copa America semifinal, the heated rivalry between Brazil and Argentina is already in full effect. It’s been reported that Brazilian fans began lighting off fireworks off in front of the Argentina team hotel at 1:00 a.m. in Belo Horizante, Brazil, and continued to do so throughout the night and into the morning.

The stage is set for the most eagerly anticipated match of the 2019 Copa América: It’s a semifinal showdown between eternal South American rivals Brazil and Argentina at the Mineirão in Belo Horizonte. 64,000 will be willing the home side to victory and the final, but standing in the Seleção’s way is that man Lionel Messi. 

Just two years ago, PSG shook the soccer realm by acquiring Neymar by way of a $263 million transfer.

Now with plenty of talent to go around in Paris and Barcelona missing its favorite Brazilian forward, Barça has to look into sending the same money back to France.

PSG hopefully kept the receipt for Neymar, but Barça may have some return policies.