Argentina win record 16th Copa America title as Lionel Messi enters history books

World Champions Argentina are now the 16-time Copa America winners after beating Colombia 1-0 in the summit clash in Miami on Sunday (Jul15). An extra-time winner (in the 112th minute) by super-sub Lautaro Martinez saw Argentina walk out as winners. Star forward Lionel Messi suffered an injury during regular time, with the coach calling him back to the bench, leading to him breaking into tears.

A game marred by chaos relating to ticketless fans breaching security ahead of the start, delaying it by 82 minutes, saw Martinez’s goal – his fifth of the tournament, separating both teams in the Copa America 2024 Final.

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This win is Argentina’s third successive major title, including the 2021 Copa America and 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Meanwhile, Argentina Captain Messi wasn’t there on the field when the referee blew the final whistle, as he was subbed off earlier due to an ankle injury. Messi was taken off during the 66th minute, with the scorecard reading 0-0. Upon being subbed, Messi broke down, while there was an emotional farewell for winger Angel Di Maria, who played his last for Argentina in national colours.

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For Colombia, who last won a Copa America title 23 years ago in 2001, they were far from being best on the D-day.

Messi creates history

Although there were concerns about his injury in the second half after he limped off the field, with this win against Colombia, Lionel Messi has become the most decorated footballer with 45 trophies won in his career. He surpassed Brazilian legend and former teammate Dani Alves (44) to create history in Florida.

Besides, with the conclusion of the Copa America 2024 Final, Messi’s old friend, Di Maria, also said goodbye to international football. The winger is among the most successful footballers worldwide, let alone in the Argentinean side, having won several trophies in his glorious career.

Ahead of the finale, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said he expects a chaos-free summit clash; however, what transpired was far from that. Just before the start, fans created chaos outside the stadium, with the organisers blaming those without tickets for trying to breach the security and enter the stadium.

An inefficient entry system delayed the match start by over an hour; however, the police and organisers managed to control the situation, and the game got underway soon after.

Meanwhile, with Spain winning the Euros Final and Argentina winning the Copa, both teams will collide in Finalissima 2025, with Messi and Lamime Yamal facing off.

(With inputs from agencies)