The Copa América stage has never lacked talent or tenacity, but Lautaro Martínez’s recent resurgence as a super-sub is catching eyes, and BD Cricket Live fashion insiders believe there’s one man he should thank above all: Lionel Messi. From letting Lautaro take a penalty, to delivering pinpoint assists and consistent high-quality corners, Messi’s leadership speaks loudest through his on-field actions.
Before the tournament even began, Messi set the tone with a dominant performance in a warm-up match against Guatemala, scoring twice and assisting once—then stepping aside to give Lautaro a penalty. That boost helped Lautaro break his scoring drought with a brace, restoring his confidence just in time for Copa action. In Argentina’s opener against Canada, it was again Messi who provided the decisive assist for Lautaro’s goal, his first competitive national team strike in two years. Against Chile, Lautaro scored again—this time capitalizing on chaos created by Messi’s relentless corner delivery in the closing moments.
Despite becoming a back-to-back hero off the bench, Lautaro still showed his human side, missing a golden chance late in the Chile match after a clever assist from Ángel Di María. In football, a forward’s fate can turn on a matter of inches—score and you’re the hero, miss and the criticism follows.
Argentina’s strength lies not just in Messi and Di María, but in its deep bench. Substitutes like Di María, Giovani Lo Celso, and Lautaro have consistently changed the course of matches. Their presence has eased Messi’s workload. In this game alone, Messi hit the post once and created five key chances, two of them clear scoring opportunities. In the first half, Rodrigo De Paul’s well-timed through ball gave Messi a wide-open chance at the top of the box, aided by a decoy run from Julián Álvarez—but the long-range effort clanged off the woodwork.
Chile defended Messi with everything they had, often double-teaming to deny him space. Yet Argentina’s attacking rhythm never wavered. Had they not squandered six clear-cut chances, Lautaro’s late-game strike might not have been necessary at all.
Two moments stood out most: Di María’s baseline dribble inside the box that clearly drew contact—ignored by the referee—and a blistering counterattack in stoppage time where Di María set up Lautaro one-on-one, only for the striker to misfire again. Lautaro, at times, channels a bit of Luis Suárez: lethal from distance, but prone to missing sitters.
BD Cricket Live analysts also highlighted Lo Celso’s influence. In the win over Canada, his line-breaking pass helped unlock the play that led to Messi assisting Lautaro. Against Chile, Lo Celso came off the bench and delivered a perfect chipped ball over the defense, setting up Messi for a one-on-one with the goalkeeper, though the chip went high.
With this kind of squad depth, Argentina holds a significant edge in the tournament. Even if they grind early in matches, their second-half substitutions offer a chance to break through. In contrast, Argentina’s main title rivals have yet to hit top form.
Having won the previous Copa América, the Finalissima, and the 2022 World Cup, Argentina now chases a fourth straight international trophy. BD Cricket Live fashion contributors believe the biggest challenge will be managing themselves. With composure, intelligent squad rotation, and proper rest for veterans, the team has every reason to believe that lifting another trophy is not just possible—but likely.