Copa América: Argentina Retains Title After Beating Colombia In Miami

Argentina retained their Copa América crown after beating Colombia 1-0 after extra time in Miami, ending Colombia’s record 28-game unbeaten run.

The intense final lacked goals until late into extra time when Lautaro Martinez was given an opportunity and confidently placed his shot into the top corner, securing the win.

That would turn out to be the winning goal in the final and it confirmed the Inter striker as top scorer for the tournament.

In his 44th career final, Lionel Messi adds another trophy to his collection. The Miami player celebrates his second consecutive Copa América win in Miami, where he has called home since 2023.

Argentina overcame a Colombia side who claimed a narrow win over Uruguay in a semi-final match that had everything, including a brawl in the stands between Uruguayan players and Colombian fans.

The road to the final

Argentina reached Miami after a comfortable victory over Canada in the semi-finals of the competition. In the quarter-finals, Lionel Scaloni’s team had to work hard to secure a win against Ecuador in a penalty shootout.

The match against the Ecuadorians was the most intense for Argentina. The World Champions found it hard to break down a defensive system and were getting hurt on the counterattack.

Emiliano Martinez played a pivotal role in his team’s advancing to the next round, as the Aston Villa goalkeeper excelled again in the penalty shootout, ensuring Argentina’s survival and keeping the hope of defending their back-to-back titles alive.

Messi continues to make history

Messi, who hasn’t had the most impressive Copa América in terms of statistics, has still performed well while other Argentinean stars have also turned up.

Lautaro Martinez has had a stellar Copa América tournament. The Inter player, fresh off his Serie A victory, proved to be a key offensive asset for Lionel Scaloni, alongside Julian Alvarez, a two-time Premier League champion with Manchester City.

Colombia leave with their heads held high

Colombia’s defeat did not overshadow the good performance of Nestor Lorenzo’s side in the competition. The Colombian team played some excellent matches.

Despite facing fitness concerns following a difficult season with Brazilian club Sao, James Rodriguez delivered an outstanding performance and set a new record for assists.

Similarly, Colombia defeated rivals Uruguay and Paraguay during the tournament. Lorenzo also outperformed Brazil in the group stage, in addition to securing victories against Panama and Costa Rica.

Angel Di Maria’s final Argentina match

The win also marked Angel Di Maria’s final Argentina match after the 36-year-old said last year he would retire from international football after the Copa, while defender, Nicolas Otamendi, is also set to end his international career.

“The truth is, this was written, it was this way,” Di Maria said. “I dreamed it, I dreamed that I would arrive at the final and win it and retire in this way.

“I have so many beautiful feelings and I am eternally grateful to this generation and today I am leaving in this way with a title.”

Despite a delayed start of over 75 minutes due to crowd trouble at Hard Rock Stadium, Argentina clinched their third consecutive major title, adding to their 2021 Copa América and 2022 World Cup victories. This achievement puts them on par with Spain, who also won the 2008 and 2012 European Championships surrounding the 2010 World Cup.

Leo Messi’s last Copa America appearance

Making his 39th and possibly last Copa América appearance at age 37, Messi had one goal in the tournament. Despite going down with an ankle injury in the first after being stepped on, he bravely continued playing.

“Messi had to leave because of that ankle problem, but finally we were able to give him some joy,” Di Maria, who jointly lifted the trophy alongside captain Messi and Otamendi at the presentation ceremony, added.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi looked to the bench as soon as he fell to the field in the second half, appearing to know his tournament was over.

He took off his right boot as he walked off and slammed it in frustration, and his ankle appeared to swell.

Messi hates to leave a game and rarely does, so when he comes out of a game, it’s significant. After the match.

Following the match, Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni provided further insight into Messi’s departure.

“Leo is the greatest player in history,” Scaloni said. “He never wants to leave the pitch. He has a swollen ankle and wants to keep on playing. I prefer those types of players.

“His teammates see that he’s 30-something [years old] and he wants to contribute. He wants to play not because he has an ego. He wants to play because he doesn’t want to leave his teammates.

“He doesn’t want to leave them on the pitch, even when he’s in that condition. He doesn’t want to abandon his teammates. He doesn’t feel good when he has to leave the pitch. He was born to be on the pitch.”