Argentina Clinches Second Straight Copa America Title Despite Messi’s Injury

Argentina triumphed over Colombia 1-0 on Sunday night to win its second consecutive Copa America championship, a victory marred by a concerning leg injury to Lionel Messi in the second half.

In the 112th minute of a hard-fought match at Hard Rock Stadium, Lautaro Martínez scored the decisive goal, ensuring Argentina’s record 16th Copa title. Martínez, who entered as a substitute in the 97th minute, netted his fifth goal of the tournament with a right-footed shot, skillfully finishing a perfect through pass from Giovani Lo Celso.

The goal prompted Martínez to run to the bench to embrace his captain, Messi, who had been forced out of the game due to injury.

Messi, 37, appeared to sustain a non-contact injury while running in the 64th minute, falling to the ground and covering his face with his hands in anguish. Earlier in the match, Messi had already been in visible pain after his ankle was stepped on.

Despite this, he continued to play until his second-half fall. His frustration was evident as he removed his boot and slammed it to the ground before exiting the field.

The start of the match was delayed by 1 hour and 22 minutes due to crowd trouble outside the stadium, including fans breaching security gates in scenes reminiscent of recent disturbances at other high-profile matches. The delayed kickoff did little to dampen the competitive spirit on the pitch.

Colombia, entering the match on a 28-game unbeaten streak dating back to February 2022, applied significant pressure early on.

Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez made four crucial saves in the first half to keep Argentina in the game. Argentina’s defense held firm, and as the match progressed, they began to create more chances.

In the 75th minute, Nicolás Tagliafico thought he had given Argentina the lead, only for the goal to be ruled offside. Following Messi’s departure, Nicolás González replaced him and nearly scored in the 95th minute, but was denied by Colombia’s goalkeeper Camilo Vargas.

The match saw several players lose their footing on the heavily watered grass, a result of sprinklers used after the halftime performance by Colombian pop star Shakira, which extended the break.

Despite the challenges, Argentina’s victory marks their third consecutive major title, following their wins in the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 World Cup. This triumph matches Spain’s achievement of winning consecutive European Championships in 2008 and 2012 around their 2010 World Cup victory.

As Argentina celebrated their hard-earned win, the team and fans alike were left to hope for positive news regarding Messi’s injury. The legendary player’s condition remains a point of concern as the nation looks forward to future competitions.