Lionel Messi’s injury occurred in the 64th minute as he fell without contact. Visibly distressed, he sat on the bench with his face in his hands.
Argentina secured its second consecutive Copa America championship with a dramatic 1-0 victory over Colombia on Sunday night, thanks to Lautaro Martínez’s decisive goal in the 112th minute. The match was marked by Lionel Messi’s second-half leg injury, which forced him to leave the field in tears.
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Messi’s injury occurred in the 64th minute as he fell without contact. Visibly distressed, he sat on the bench with his face in his hands. After scoring the game-winning goal, Martínez ran to the bench to embrace his captain, celebrating Argentina’s record 16th Copa title.
Delayed Start
The match at Hard Rock Stadium began 1 hour and 22 minutes late due to crowd disturbances. This victory added to Argentina’s recent successes, following their 2021 Copa America and 2022 World Cup wins, equating them with Spain’s back-to-back European Championships and World Cup triumphs from 2008 to 2012.
Argentina also ended Colombia’s impressive 28-game unbeaten streak, which had lasted since a loss to Argentina in February 2022.
Martínez, who was substituted in the 97th minute, scored after receiving a flawless through pass from Giovani Lo Celso. He skillfully placed a right-footed shot past Colombia’s sliding goalkeeper Camilo Vargas, marking his 29th international goal and a tournament-high fifth.
Playing in what could be his final Copa America at age 37, Messi had scored once in the tournament. After being stepped on in the first half, he continued to play until the second half when he realized his tournament was over. Frustrated, he removed his right boot and threw it, his ankle visibly swelling.
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Crowd Control Issues
Earlier in the week, Uruguay players clashed with Colombia fans after their semifinal in Charlotte, North Carolina. Videos from the final showed fans climbing fences and railings to enter the stadium, complicating efforts to manage ticketed attendees.
Colombia dominated early, forcing Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez into four first-half saves. However, Argentina gained momentum in the second half. Nicolás Tagliafico’s 75th-minute goal was disallowed for offside, and Nicolás González, who replaced Messi, was denied by Vargas in the 95th minute.
Numerous players struggled with footing in the second half due to heavily watered grass following an extended halftime performance by Colombian pop star Shakira.