Later tonight, at 9 pm, Argentina and Chile will face off at the Meadowlands, in front of a packed crowd at MetLife Stadium. For the second matchday of Group A, the two nations will go against one another, looking to boost their standing in the group rankings, with the hopes of moving to the knockout rounds.
With both teams having already played their first game, Argentina currently sits atop the rankings after a 2-0 victory over Canada. On the other hand, Chile is in the middle of the pack, on the brink of advancing following a 0-0 draw against Peru. With only the top 2 teams in each group advancing, a win for Argentina would likely book their ticket to the knockout rounds, while a win for Chile would put them in a good position to move on.
The reigning Copa América champs, Argentina, are significantly favored heading into the match. In fact, according to the sportsbooks, it is more probable that Argentina will win the entire tournament than Chile winning tonight’s match. This doesn’t mean that the matchup will be too dull, however, as the matches never seem to disappoint when the two nations play.
In the last 10 years alone, Argentina and Chile have faced off twice in the Copa América finals, with Chile winning on penalties in both instances. Over the tournament’s 107-year-long history, Argentina and Chile have met 29 times, with Argentina winning 21 of the matches and the rest ending in draws, even though Chile would go on to win some of their later matches by penalties. If Chile is able to overcome the odds tonight, it would be their first time outsourcing Argentina in a match in the Copa América.
Chile and Argentina’s Previous Matchup at MetLife Stadium
Ironically enough, Chile and Argentina’s last matchup in the Copa América final took place at MetLife Stadium in 2016, with Chile winning 4-2 on penalties. The game drew a whopping 82,086 fans, the second-highest for the Copa América finals. The impressive attendance was also the largest in the history of New Jersey, with people from across the country and even the world traveling to East Rutherford in anticipation of the match.
Following the match, soccer superstar Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international soccer, voicing his frustrations with not being able to win any championships as a driving factor in his decision. Messi later reversed his decision and it proved to be the right choice as he led Argentina to a victory in the 2021 Copa América and 2022 FIFA World Cup. But now, it seems much more likely that this could be Messi’s last dance with the Argentina national team.
Could This Be Messi’s Last Appearance with the Argentina National Team?
Having just turned 37 yesterday and already accomplishing everything he could’ve asked for in his career, it seems that Messi’s time playing soccer may be coming to an end very soon, but that does not mean that he won’t have one more championship run left in him. Messi has left the door open in regards to his future with the World Cup and if he will defend his title in 2026.
If Messi does choose to call it a career before the 2026 World Cup, then this may be the last time to see him play in the Meadowlands, which only adds to the draw of tonight’s upcoming game. With other Argentinian star players such as Julián Álvarez, Ángel Di María and Emiliano Martínez, Messi will look to capture yet another title, but must first take on the Meadowlands.