Lionel Messi left Sunday’s Copa América final against Colombia in tears after suffering an ankle injury in the second half.
At the end of the game, he was all smiles as Argentina won 1-0 without their star, thanks to a goal from Lautaro Martínez in the second half of extra time.
Messi leaves with a goalless draw
Messi fell to the pitch in the 63rd minute and immediately signaled to the bench.
He managed to limp to the sideline, but his Copa América was over. Messi left the game in the 65th minute to replace Nicolás González with the game tied without goals.
Messi started crying on the bench as the moment arrived.
The precise nature of his injury was initially unclear, but he was seen on the bench with his right ankle encased in ice.
A welt on the ankle was revealed when the bandage was removed.
Messi initially appeared to have suffered an injury in the first half after a baseline challenge. He grabbed his right ankle after the fall but was able to return to the game.
Messi, 37, has been troubled by leg injuries that have limited him for much of the year and injured his right thigh during the group stage game against Chile. He took part in Argentina’s group stage final against Peru, with Argentina having already secured their place in the round of 16 of the tournament.
Argentina entered Sunday’s final as defending Copa América and World Cup champions. Winner of a record eight Ballon d’Ors as the world’s best player, Messi smiled from the bench as Argentina secured their 16th Copa América title, breaking their tie with Uruguay for the most ever. Colombia was denied its second.
Sunday’s Copa América final was engulfed in chaos before it began. Fans at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium rushed to the gates and broke barriers to get in, whether they had tickets or not. Authorities temporarily opened the stadium gates in an effort to alleviate injuries amid “serious concerns of fans being crushed in an attempt to enter.”
