For the first time ever, the Gunner became a national hero and legend for the Chileans with this maiden Copa America win.
After the game ended 0-0 in extra-time, Alexis Sanchez slotted in the winning spot-kick in the penalty shootout after Argentina's Gonzalo Higuain fired over and Ever Banega was denied by Barcelona goalkeeper, Claudio Bravo. In the end Chile were able to achieve the dream of 18 million people as, for the first time in 99 years of the Copa America, the oldest trophy in the world was there to stay and had the honor of becoming the best team in all of South America.
Alexis didn't have the best of the tournaments, he was a bit poor compared to his debut Arsenal season. The exhaustion of how intense the Premier League has been for the Chilean proved a point as he was overshadowed by Arturo Vidal and joint top goalscorer of the tournament, Eduardo Vargas, who scored four goals and that made him level with Flamengo man Paolo Guerrero of Peru.
Return to Arsenal
Alexis Sanchez scored only once in normal play, in Chile's game against Bolivia in the final Group A match but his shoot-out winner against the World Cup runners-up will ensure his place in his country's history. He will surely return to the Emirates filled with joy and surely emotionally exhausted having been apart of the pressure of an entire nation for the entire month to win their Copa America.
Still, Arsene Wenger will be proud to see that this tournament will be great motiviation for the Chilean star, where he will be sure to get some rest before the start of the Premier League. The Arsenal manager has opted to give Arsenal's Player of the Season a chance to miss the start of their campaign, just like he did with the German World Cup winners last summer.