For many years, Messi carried Argentina. In the 2024 Copa América final, Argentina had to carry Messi. The team saw its captain and the most important player to wear the Argentina jersey in the last two decades be subbed off early in the second half with an ankle injury, yet still pulled off the win in a tense match against an outstanding Colombia team.
The game ended in a scoreless tie in regulation and, unlike in the previous games in the knockout stages, went into extra time. The Copa América rules indicate that only the championship match gets those two extra 15-minute periods. It was then, in the 112th minute, that Lautaro Martínez, the top scorer in the Italian Serie A this season, put Argentina up 1-0. The game would end that way.
Messi was forced to leave the game with an ankle injury, and cameras showed him in tears as he sat with his teammates and watched the rest of the action. Later, cameras also caught a glimpse of his swollen ankle.
The game was delayed for over an hour after fans breached security gates, jumped over walls, and even tried to enter the stadium through the ventilation system. It was supposed to start at 8 ET but didn’t get underway until past 9:20 ET, which means it was past midnight before it ended.
Security issues, both at the final and at the Uruguay vs. Colombia semifinal, which saw Uruguay clash with Colombian fans to protect their families, have been the cherry on top of a whole host of issues with the organization of the Copa América 2024. Coaches and players have complained about the pitches and the lack of facilities for certain teams. But in the end, people will remember fútbol above all things, and in the past few years, the best fútbol team of all seems to be Argentina.