ACUÑA AND PAPU GÓMEZ GUNNING FOR COPA AMÉRICA GLORY

Tomorrow morning, we will know the new champions of South America. With kick-off at 02:00 CEST, the Maracaná will host the final of the 2021 Copa América which pits hosts Brazil against eternal rival Argentina. Brazil will be looking to replicate 2019 when they last won and hosted the tournament, while Argentina are in their fifth final in seven editions since 2004. The Argentines, managed by Lionel Scaloni, have two representatives from Sevilla FC: Marcos Acuña and Papu Gómez.

While neither played in the semi-final, both have been vital in Argentina's journey to the final. Acuña played 90 minutes in the group stage against Uruguay and Bolivia, as well as against Ecuador in the quarter-finals. Gómez made his debut in the third game, in which he scored the winner with ten minutes to go against Paraguay. He also opened the scoring in the following game against Bolivia.

Papu Gómez opened the scoring for Argentina against Paraguay and Bolivia

Should Argentina win, they will break a 28-year drought in the competition. That competition won in Ecuador had Sevilla FC presence with none other than Diego Pablo Simeone who started the 2-1 win against México in the final. Simeone was the first Sevilla player to win the Copa América, and he was followed by Dani Alves in 2007, where he scored in the final against Argentina, and Martín Cáceres in 2011.

Acuña and Papu Gómez can move that figure up to five South American champions. That would surpass the four champions of Europe: Paco Gallego in 1964, Andrés Palop in 2008, and Jesús Navas and Álvaro Negredo in 2012. Fabrice Ondoa won the AFCON in 2017 with Cameroon while playing for Sevilla Atlético.