Copa America Final

So if you'd been paying attention to Copa America, you may be saying...HEY! What gives?! No closure?? You're right...but I was outta town during the final, a disappointing 3-Nil loss for Argentina to Brasil, and hadn't watched it until late last week.

Kudos to Dunga and Brasil. They swarmed my tourney MVP Riquelme the entire match, and the powderpuff Doni (despite how bad it hurts me to say it) was awesome in net. Best Match of the Final 4 - Uruguay letting one slip away vs. Brasil.

Here's my all All Copa America Team, for what it's worth, and from what I'd witnessed. I'm going with a pretty unconventional 11 right here (only 3 defenders, 4 forwards), but here's my best 11:

G Doni - BRA
D Zanetti - ARG
D Juan - BRA
D Marquez - MEX
MF Riquelme - ARG - MVP**
MF - C Rodriquez - URU
MF Mascherano - ARG
F Messi - ARG
F Robinho - BRA
F Humberto Suazo - CHI
F Nery Castillo - MEX

Honorable Mentions - Giancarlo Maldonado - VEN, Diego Forlan - URU, Roque Santa Cruz - PAR, Oswaldo Sanchez - MEX, J. Baptista - BRA, Jaime Moreno - BOL, Veron - ARG

Close call with the MVP going to Riquelme over Robinho (Robinho won the official MVP and Golden Shoe with 6 goals), but I just thought Riquelme was the better overall player...seemed everything Argentina did went through Juan Roman. This was confirmed in the Final as Brasil ganged up on him the entire match, and Argentina just shut down. Props to Robinho though, who had a nice little coming-out party.

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Bad week for my beloved Italia. Francesco Totti retires from the National Team. And with the results of Copa America in, FIFA drops Italy to #3 in World Rankings. Disappointing, but objectively I can't disagree.

The fantastic performance of Brasil is even that much more glaring considering they were without their top 2 players in Kaka and Ronaldhino. They were also without vets Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos (both retired from Int'l play), and former in-form, now outta-form striker Adriano. Dunga should have this team primed to win another WC in 2010.

And about the only thing Argentina is missing is a Goalie. Throw in their U-20 World Cup win, and these guys will again be one of the favorites in 2010.

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Off to Toronto this weekend to take in my very first live futbol match. PUMPT!!!!