Argentina's Copa curse continues

Argentina enforcer Javier Mascherano was at a loss to explain his team's latest tournament defeat after Saturday's loss to Chile at the Copa America.

Mascherano has now finished on the losing side in three Copa America finals -- 2004, 2007 and 2015 -- as well as last year's World Cup final.

"Three Copa America finals, three defeats ... I can't explain the losing streak," a dejected Mascherano said.

"Overall I thought we had a very good Copa America but we have fallen short once again. But you have to give credit to the opponents as well," Mascherano added.

"We just didn't seem to have that little bit of luck that you sometimes need to have to win in finals. Is it karma? I don't know," Mascherano added.

Mascherano cut a desolate figure in the centre circle as Argentina prepared for penalties, his eyes welling with tears amid excruciating tension at Santiago's Estadio Nacional.

Argentina coach Gerardo Martino said his side did not deserve to lose the match after both teams "neutralised" each other.

"In the 120 minutes, in a very high quality game where the two teams neutralised each other more than play, the one who I think should have won was Argentina," said Martino at a press conference after the game.

"In a short time we have acquired a way of playing and we've been pretty good, but there is room for improvement," he said.

Messi's failure with Argentina again raised the debate of how best to have him play for his country when he carries all before him with Barcelona.

It would appear to justify unfavourable comparisons with Diego Maradona, who led Argentina to their second World Cup title in 1986.