Copa America 2021: Messi vs Neymar head-to-head in Brazil-Argentina final

Argentina's Lionel Messi (left) will face Brazil's Neymar in Copa America 2021 final. (Source: Twitter)

Two of the greatest modern-day footballers – Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr – would lock horns when Argentina take on Brazil in one of the most anticipated finals of recent times. For fans, it does not get bigger than this, to see former Barcelona mates locking horns in a big final. Both footballers have led their nations well and that is the reason they have made the summit clash.

So, how many times have the Messi vs Neymar face-off happened, and who won, here’s the answer to those questions.

Interestingly, the two have played against each other merely once in club competition and that was way back in 2011. That was a time when Messi was already a top footballer, while Neymar was just bursting onto the scene. Back then, Neymar was playing for Santos, while Messi was a key member of the Barcelona side. It was a club World Cup final game in which Barcelona blanked Neymar’s Santos 4-0.

In the international arena, the two have gone up against each other on four occasions. In an international friendly in 2010, the two faced off for the first time ever. In that game, Messi scored a brilliant goal in the dying stages of the game to win it for Argentina.

The next time they met was in another friendly two years later. Messi once again starred for Argentina, this time with a hattrick. Argentina edged Brazil 4-3. A couple of years later, the two stars of footballer met again. This time Neymar’s Brazil win the game.

In 2016, the face-off happened again. It was a 2016 World Cup qualifier, Neymar scored and helped Brazil beat Argentina 3-0. In that game, Neymar scored his first goal against Messi.