Copa America 2024 Results: Argentina Beat Colombia 1-0, Messi Injured

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi moved his arms. The trophy bounced in his grasp. Tears of frustration from an hour or so earlier had turned to laughter and hugs for the two-time Copa America champion and World Cup winner.

Messi was forced to watch much of the second half and extra time due to a leg injury, but Argentina still won their second consecutive Copa America on Sunday night, beating Colombia 1-0. Goal by Lautaro Martínez in the 112th minute.

“Leo is the best player in history,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said through an interpreter. “He never wants to leave the field. He has a swollen ankle and wants to keep playing. I prefer players like that. He wants to play, not because he is selfish or selfish. He wants to keep playing because he doesn’t want to let his teammates down. … He was born to be on the field.”

Messi appeared to suffer an injury that was not caused by contact. running and falling in the 64th minuteThe eight-time Ballon d’Or winner covered his face with his hands as he sat on the couch and sobbed.

Martínez later ran to the bench to embrace his 37-year-old captain after the goal that gave Argentina a record 16th Copa title.

Messi appeared to limp after the final whistle blew well after midnight, beckoning his senior teammates to hold the trophy aloft with him: 36-year-old Nicolás Ottamendi and Ángel Di María, who is retiring from the national team. The trio embraced as white confetti rained down.

“The truth is that it’s hard to describe,” Di Maria said. “It’s written that way. I told the guys last night at dinner that I had dreamed it. That’s why I said it was my last Copa America. I dreamed that we reached the final and won, so I could leave like this.

“I will always be grateful to this generation that gave me everything, helped me win what I always wanted and today I leave like this,” Di Maria said. “It couldn’t have been better.”

In a match that kicked off 1 hour and 22 minutes late due to unrest at the Hard Rock Stadium, Argentina won their third straight major title after the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 World Cup, equalling Spain, who won the 2008 and 2012 European Championships and the 2010 World Cup.

Argentina also ended Colombia’s 28-match unbeaten run, which began with a 1-0 defeat to Albiceleste in a World Cup qualifier in February 2022, also thanks to a goal from Martínez.

Martínez came on in the 97th minute on Sunday and scored from a perfect pass from Giovani Lo Celso after Leandro Paredes had stolen the ball from a Colombian with a sliding tackle near the halfway line. Paredes exchanged passes with Martínez and then played the ball to Lo Celso, who played a one-touch through ball as Martínez sprinted past defender Carlos Cuesta.

Martínez ran towards the ball, touched it so that it ended up in the penalty area and fired a right-footed shot through the raised arms of sliding goalkeeper Camilo Vargas to score his 29th international goal, his fifth of the tournament.

Colombian coach Néstor Lorenzo said many Colombian players ended up with severe cramps. Temperatures were above 80 degrees with humidity around 73%.

“It’s not easy to play a final. It’s not easy for anyone,” Lorenzo said through an interpreter. “They played six games in 21 days and they started to feel the results. They all left with cramps, some in both legs. They all left the field feeling exhausted and tired.”

Messi was making his 39th and possibly final Copa America appearance, scoring one goal in the tournament, going down in the 36th minute after his left ankle was hit by Santiago Arias But walked back onto the field three minutes later.

Messi looked at the bench as he fell onto the pitch in the second half, and seemed to know his tournament was over. He took off his right boot as he walked away and thrashed it in frustration, and his ankle appeared to swell. With his bare right foot, he stood by the bench and raised his arms as teammates ran onto the pitch when Martínez scored.

The start was delayed from 8:00 p.m. EDT to 9:22 p.m. due to crowd control problems outside the stadium, including hordes of fans trying to get through the security gates of a stadium for the 2026 World Cup.

Days after Uruguayan players were involved in a brawl with Colombian fans after their semifinal in Charlotte, North Carolina, video footage showed fans climbing over fences and railings to get into the championship game. Officials were unable to keep track of who had bought a ticket and who had not.

Hard Rock Stadium released a statement after the game saying the venue “takes pride in safely and successfully hosting world-class events year-round.”

“We understand that there are disappointed ticket holders who were unable to enter the stadium after the perimeter was closed,” the statement said, “and we will work with CONMEBOL to address those individual concerns. Ultimately, nothing is more important than the health and safety of all guests and staff, and that will always remain our priority.”

Colombia were more aggressive, forcing goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez to make four saves in the first half, but Argentina became more dangerous in the second half.

Nicolás Tagliafico thought he had scored in the 75th minute, but was ruled offside. Nicolás González, Messi’s replacement, was stopped by Vargas in the 95th minute.

Numerous players lost their balance during the second half of Sunday’s match, as the grass was heavily sprinkled with sprinklers after Colombian pop star Shakira’s halftime performance, leading to an extended break.

Due to the performance, the rest period was extended from the normal 15 minutes to approximately 25 minutes.

Lorenzo was critical of the extra time before the final, noting that coaches had been penalized for returning to the field late in the second half earlier in the tournament. On Sunday, he said continuity in the half-time rules would be best to “protect the fitness and physical fitness of the players.”

Colombian James Rodríguez was voted the tournament’s best player, with six assists.

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AP Copa America coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/copa-america