Argentina vs Colombia Prediction: The Clash of the Titans

The stage is set for the final game of the 2024 Copa America as champions Argentina battle 2001 champions Colombia. This game will be the first final between the two sides in the history of this tournament, as records lie low to be broken. A win for Argentina will be their record 16th title and Colombia hope to win their second Copa America title. Who will win? Below are previews, match facts, possible starting 11, expert betting tips, and odds.

Argentina

Argentina have had a smooth journey towards defending their title. They won all their 3 group games without conceding a goal. In the quarter-finals, they found their way through shootouts to defeat Ecuador after the regular time ended 1-1. They got another 2-0 repeat win over Canada in the Semis. The 15-time Copa America champions have now won their last ten games since losing 2-0 to Uruguay in 2023. They have lost just once since returning from their opening game loss to Saudi Arabia in the 2022 World Cup, a 25-game unbeaten run. With Angel Di Maria already announcing his retirement after this tournament, a win would be a perfect send-off package for the superstar and any other players who may want to join him.

Lionel Messi has not lived up to his billing so far in this tournament with just 1 goal, but Lautaro Martinez has always come to the rescue of the Argentine. Their team spirit is really commendable, and they have all it takes to win a record 16th Copa America title.

Colombia

Colombia have taken lots of football fans by surprise after they recorded a 1-0 win over one of the title favorites, Uruguay. Colombia played the second half of the game with ten men after Daniel Munoz got sent in the dying minutes of the first half. After going one man down, they executed the defensive play well to salvage their goal. Their journey from the group stage has been commendable, topping Group D with 7 points– a group with Brazil. Moreover, Colombia are now unbeaten in their last 28 matches. 

Colombia captain James Rodriguez has shown the stuff he is made of in this tournament, with his record of 6 assists in 5 games. His efforts and the contributions of Luis Diaz and Jhon Arias should give Colombia the confidence they need. However, Daniel Munoz will sit out of this clash due to his red card, and Santiago Arias will likely start in his place.

Possible Starting 11

Argentina — Emiliano Martinez, Gonzalo Montiel, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolas Tagliafico, Angel Di Maria, Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister, Lionel Messi, Julian Alvarez.

Colombia – Camilo Vargas, Santiago Arias, Davinson Sanchez, Carlos Cuesta, Johan Mojica, Mateus Uribe, Jefferson Lerma, Jhon Arias, James Rodriguez, Luis Diaz, Jhon Cordoba.

Match Facts

• Argentina have lost just 2 of their last 60 matches in all competitions.
• Colombia are playing their 3rd final in the Copa America.
• Argentina have only lost once in 25 games since winning the 2022 World Cup.
• Both sides are meeting for the first time in the Copa America final.
• Argentina are playing their 30th final in the Copa America.
• Argentina have kept nine clean sheets in their past 13 outings.
• Colombia have conceded only two goals at the 2024 Copa America.
• Colombia are unbeaten in their last 28 matches.
• Argentina have conceded only 1 goal at the 2024 Copa America.

Expert Betting Tips

Both sides are the best defensive teams in this tournament, with Argentina conceding just once and Colombia conceding 2. However, Colombia have not just shown their defensive play, they have also demonstrated that they can score as many goals as possible if they have the chance. It was clear how they ran riot on Panama in the quarterfinal and how they were able to frustrate Uruguay despite playing with ten men for over 45 minutes of the game. On the other hand, Argentina did not have the momentum they had at the beginning of this tournament. Ecuador almost dumped them out in the quarterfinals. With this, I believe Colombia will take this game to the wire, and they may likely get a win in the shootout if they fail during 90 minutes and extra time. Above all, I don’t see them losing this game, but I expect both sides to find the back of the net.

• Over 1.5 for 1.65 odds
• BTTS for 2.28 odds
• X2 for 1.73 odds