Copa America Final 2015: Player Grades and Reaction from Chile's Shootout Win

Javier Mascherano has described losing the 2015 Copa America final as "torture." Meanwhile, Arturo Vidal, the midfield talisman who spearheaded Chile's victorious tournament, is ready to fight for a World Cup victory to follow this famous win.

Chile secured the Copa America by beating Argentina on penalties after a scrappy, rather turgid tussle over 120 minutes. Vidal was named man of the match, per Mirror writer Jim Daly, and is already looking for more trophies for his country, per Squawka Football: "We left our life on the field. We'll fight in the next World Cup. This generation of players deserves it."

Natacha Pisarenko/Associated Press

Meanwhile, Mascherano, who lost in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final against Germany, described another high-profile defeat in agonised, anguished terms, according to ESPN reporter Miguel Delaney: "I don't have an explanation. Maybe it's me. This is torture."

Despite Mascherano's words, it's perhaps Argentina talisman Lionel Messi who will have taken the defeat hardest. That's the view of teammate and fellow attacker Ezequiel Lavezzi.

The Paris Saint-Germain forward had this to say about Messi following the match, per Delaney: "Leo is the one who feels these frustrations most because he's is the best and all is on him. He is destroyed."

Messi had spent most of the match thwarted by Chile's swarming and ultra-aggressive gang tackling. Manager Jorge Sampaoli said stopping Messi was his main focus, but he also defended the Barcelona star's status as the best player in world football, per Delaney: "The idea was to neutralise Messi. The result will not change what Messi is to the world."

Andre Penner/Associated Press

Argentina boss Gerardo Martino felt his side did not deserve to experience defeat. He rued several missed chances, according to Sky Sports:

"

Defeats like today are not going to change my analysis. Over the 120 minutes, it was a fairly equal game. But Argentina should have won.

We tried everything. We had chances – Nico Otamendi, [Ezequiel] Lavezzi and of course [Gonzalo] Higuain at the end.

"

Martino's team was let down by some of its stars. Find out who was particularly culpable in the ratings:

Player Grades

Gonzalo Higuain: F

It was certainly a night to forget for Higuain. He missed a crucial spot-kick during the shootout, but that won't be the moment that sticks in his mind the longest.

Natacha Pisarenko/Associated Press

Instead, the striker will see nightmarish reruns of his close-range miss during the dying stages of extra time. That a finisher of Higuain's usual ruthless efficiency failed to convert such a simple chance was scarcely believable.

The shock miss was Martino's primary focus after the match, per Sky Sports: "They were very clear chances that should have changed the outcome of the game."

Higuain's unusually sluggish form in front of goal may have been attributable to the fact he looked decidedly off the pace. The Napoli attacker wasn't sharp and incisive in his movement and didn't show much willingness to get behind the hosts' defence.

This forgettable performance was an indictment of the inconsistent work rate that's often blighted the career of an otherwise hugely talented attacker. A player of Higuain's quality should be owning the big stage, not barely bothered to even tread the boards.

Charles Aranguiz: A

Vidal may have been named the official man of the match, but WhoScored.com gave its own nod to another Chile midfielder. Charles Aranguiz proved a very busy man, with his stat line showing his best work came in a defensive role.

No slouch in the creativity department, Aranguiz played in a more restrained way to shackle Argentina's attacking threats. Not only did the 26-year-old terrier in the middle make life difficult for Messi and company, but he also gave others the room to thrive.

Aranguiz dropping deeper left-cerebral pass-master Jorge Valdivia free to play between the lines and create chances. It also meant more room for Vidal to make his trademark forward runs.

Lionel Messi: C

This match was like a journey into the unfamiliar for Messi. Rarely has the brilliant pocket-edition speedster been afforded so little room and subjected to such rough treatment.

Natacha Pisarenko/Associated Press

Sampaoli sent out platoons of energetic and physical runners on a seek-and-destroy mission to stop Messi getting free. Writing for ESPN FC, Delaney described how Chile's mix of smarts and borderline-cynical pragmatism stymied Messi:

"

To begin, Chile's base was excellent. They always had three men around Messi, giving him very little space within which to move. Any time he did finally seem to break free he'd get cut down, either with a robust foul or a clever tackle.

The Barcelona playmaker seemed set to break free three times in the first half only to be taken down by a shirt pull, a kick to the midriff and an outright reducer respectively.

"

Messi kept searching for answers but rarely found any. It didn't help that none of his supposedly marquee team-mates were able to pick up the slack.

This final was an illustration of just how reliant the Argentina squad is on its main man.

Arturo Vidal: A

His performance in the final was everything fans have come to expect from Vidal: tireless work and an aggressive desire to compete matched with technical guile in forward areas.

The Juventus ace exemplified Chile's commitment to win the physical battles and not be intimidated by their more illustrious opponents. While Argentinian players tired in extra time, Vidal and his teammates found an extra surge or two.

This was classic Vidal, the kind of performance that shows the value of a complete midfielder who's capable of influencing a game at every level of the pitch.

Chile's win is a suitable culmination of a team that's steady built its reputation during recent years. Up until now though, Sampaoli's men have been more reputation than achievement.

Now they have a major trophy to justify their talent. Meanwhile, Argentina remain a side that still continues to flatter to deceive.