Argentina beat Colombia 1-0 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, USA, to win the 2024 Copa America, with to a goal by Lautaro Martinez in the 111th minute. With their 16th championship in South America's top international competition, Argentina has surpassed Uruguay to become the most successful side in the league's history. Together with their victory in the 2022 World Cup, this is Argentina's second consecutive Copa America triumph.
As a result, captain and talisman Lionel Messi may have concluded his career with three major titles won in his final major competition. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner will likely be close to 40 years old when the next World Cup takes place. With the winger declaring last year that he will conclude his illustrious international career with the 2024 Copa America, this was also Angel Di Maria's final game for Argentina.
The second half finished in a scoreless draw after Messi's leg injury required him to be substituted. As was the case for much of the regular time, both teams traded blows during the frequently chaotic thirty minutes of extra time. Leandro Paredes won the ball in midfield, and Martinez of Inter Milan immediately stole it from Giovanni Lo Celso. Martinez scored what ultimately proved to be the game-winning goal, placing the shot directly over Colombian goalkeeper Camilo Vargas.
Start delayed by crowd trouble
Crowd disturbances caused the match to start more than an hour later than scheduled. Fans without tickets poured through the gates, creating chaotic scenes and circumstances akin to stampedes across the stadium. During much of the hectic first half of extra time, Argentina controlled the ball, but Colombia appeared far more dangerous. Colombia pressed high up the pitch to get the ball off to a fast start that forced Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez into a few early saves. In the seventh minute, Jhon Cordoba struck the crossbar, and Martinez then saved long-range attempts from Jefferson Lerma and Richard Rios.
In the second half, Colombia continued torment the Argentine defense, nearly scoring goals through Arias and Davinson Sanchez. After a collision with Santiago Arias in the 36th minute, Messi looked to injure his ankle. He was treated and was able to resume play. But in the sixty-fourth minute, he twisted his ankle, and the blow was too great to overcome. Subsequent photos revealed the full degree of the Argentina captain's ankle edema. As the game entered extra time, Messi sobbed for a considerable period of time before returning to the action.
