MIAMI GARDENS, Florida – Argentina won their second consecutive Copa América championship, overcoming Lionel Messi’s second-half leg injury to defeat Colombia 1-0 on Sunday night. Lautaro Martínez’s goal in the 112th minute.
Messi appeared to suffer a non-contact injury while running and fell in the 64th minute and covered his face with his hands as he sat on the bench and sobbed.
Later, Martínez ran to that bench to hug his captain after the goal that lifted Argentina to their record 16th World Cup title.
In a match that started 1 hour and 22 minutes late due to crowd problems at Hard Rock Stadium, Argentina won their third consecutive title after the 2021 Copa América and 2022 World Cup and equaled Spain, who won the 2008 and 2012 European Championships surrounding the 2010 World Cup.
Argentina also halted Colombia’s 28-game unbeaten run dating back to their February 2022 defeat to the Albiceleste.
Martínez came on in the 97th minute and scored after a perfect pass from Giovani Lo Celso, after Leandro Paredes took the ball from a Colombian just before the center strip.
Already inside the area, Martínez shot with his right foot through the raised arms of goalkeeper Camilo Vargas, scoring his 29th goal for the national team, the fifth best of the tournament.
Appearing to limp after the final whistle sounded well after midnight, Messi motioned for his senior teammates to lift the trophy with him: 36-year-old Nicolás Ottamendi and Ángel Di María, who is retiring from the national team.
As white confetti cascaded down, the trio hugged.
“The truth is that it is difficult to describe,” said Di Maria. “It was written like this. I told the guys last night at dinner that I dreamed about this. That’s why I said it was my last Copa América. I dreamed that we reached the final and won, so that I could leave like this.
“I will always be grateful to this generation that gave me everything, helped me achieve what I always wanted and today I am leaving like this”, said Di Maria. “Could not be better.”
Making his 39th and possibly last Copa América appearance at the age of 37, Messi scored a goal in the tournament. He went down after an ankle was stepped on in the first half, but remained in the game.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner glanced at the bench as soon as he fell onto the pitch in the second half, seeming to know his tournament was over. He took off his right boot as he walked away and tapped it in frustration, and his ankle seemed to swell. With his right foot bare, he stood on the bench and raised his arms as his teammates ran onto the field when Martínez scored.
The start was postponed from 8:00 pm EDT to 9:22 pm due to crowd control problems outside the stadium, including a crowd of fans breaching the security gates of a venue that will be used for the 2026 World Cup.
Days after the Uruguay players were involved in a fight with Colombian fans after the semifinal match in Charlotte, North Carolina, video showed fans climbing over fences and railings to enter the championship match, with officials unable to tell who had purchased tickets and who had not.
Colombia was more aggressive and forced goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez to make four saves in the first half, but Argentina began to threaten more in the second.
Nicolás Tagliafico thought he had scored in the 75th minute, but was ruled offside. Nicolás González, who replaced Messi. it was stopped by Vargas in the 95th minute.
Several players lost their balance during the second half of Sunday’s game. The grass was heavily watered with sprinklers following Colombian pop star Shakira’s halftime performance, which caused an extended break.
Colombian James Rodríguez was named the best player of the tournament,
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