Argentina and Messi Win Third Straight Copa America

Lautaro Martinez clinched consecutive Copa América titles for Argentina and their third major tournament win in a row with his extra-time goal on Sunday night. Martinez scored his fifth goal of the tournament in the 112th minute. He made a run towards the Colombian goal and fired a shot from the right that outpaced goalkeeper Camilo Vargas.

The Copa America final between Argentina and Colombia was delayed for over an hour due to chaotic and hazardous conditions that kept thousands of fans from entering Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium. The match finally started at 9:22 PM ET, 82 minutes later than planned. Argentina defeated Colombia 1-0 in extra time, retaining their Copa America title despite Lionel Messi being sidelined with an injury.

The Miami-Dade Police Department reported “several incidents” before the gates opened. Fans interviewed by The Athletic criticized the organizers, CONMEBOL, with one describing the situation as a “disaster” and highlighting the lack of water available.

Numerous supporters, including young children, were left stranded outside in the extreme heat. Additionally, several fans were removed from the stadium during the game.

As they had in their last two major tournaments, Argentina came through with a crucial performance against Colombia when it was needed the most. Scaloni was asked if winning a third straight trophy marked a defining era.

“I don’t know if it marks an era, but it’s true this team never ceases to surprise. They overcame the difficulties of a very tough match, with a very complicated opponent and a poor first half,” he said.

“In the second half, I think we improved and deserved to win. In extra time, the team always finds something extra. It’s gratifying to see them play, and I’m eternally grateful for their dedication.” The narrow extra-time defeat was Colombia’s first in 29 matches, and coach Lorenzo remained optimistic.

“Of the two finalists, one is defining an era. It’s no coincidence; before this, they lost two Copa America finals and a World Cup final,” he said. “Scaloni has been with the team for seven years, and I congratulate them. We’re just getting started.

“I hope we play in the next final and qualify for the World Cup. I’m proud of the boys and thank the players.”After the defeat, Colombia coach Nestor Lorenzo mentioned that the pre-match delay had disrupted his team’s preparations.

“We had a very good build-up to the game, but then some unusual situations started to happen,” he said. “The players warmed up, cooled down, and warmed up again before the kick-off. Then we had 25 minutes of half-time, which was strange for both teams.” Lorenzo also noted the difference in experience between the two teams.

“Generally, those with less experience in finals feel the tension more, and it took its toll on us,” he added. “It’s not easy to play in a final for everyone. The boys felt the effort of the whole tournament, having played six games in 21 days.”

Argentina, three-time world champions, won their second consecutive Copa America with a 1-0 extra-time victory over Colombia, despite not being at their best. Throughout the four weeks in the United States, Argentina’s possession-based style did not dominate their opponents.

Lionel Messi, who secured his 45th professional title, was not in top form due to a groin injury since June 25 and was substituted in the 66th minute of the final with a right ankle injury.

Despite these challenges, Argentina secured their third straight major trophy, following the 2022 World Cup and the 2021 Copa America, becoming the first South American team to achieve this feat and matching Spain’s record from 2008-2012.

Lionel Scaloni‘s three substitutions during extra time proved crucial for Argentina, with each player playing a key role in the winning goal. Paredes regained possession and passed to Lo Celso, who then made a perfectly timed pass to Lautaro for the decisive goal.

This assist marked Lo Celso‘s 14th for Argentina under Scaloni since 2018, with only Messi having more assists (16) in that time. Both Lautaro, who scored the winning goal, and Leandro Paredes were brought on in the seventh minute of extra time, and Paredes also made a significant impact.

Paredes recorded four tackles during his time on the field, more than any of his teammates throughout the match, making him the first player in the 21st century to achieve that many tackles as a substitute in a Copa America final. One of these tackles set up the play for the winning goal.

Paredes’ contribution was notable. As Di Maria remarked before the match, he understands the disappointment of losing in major finals, having been part of the Argentina squads that lost in the 2014 World Cup and the 2015 and 2016 Copa Americas.

“I’ll always be grateful to this generation who gave me everything and helped me achieve what I’ve always wanted,” Di Maria said after the win over Colombia. “I am leaving like this. It couldn’t be better.”

At 36, Di Maria gave a classic performance for Argentina, who, for the first time in a final, didn’t need one of his goals. He had previously scored in the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 World Cup finals, contributing to Argentina’s triumphs. This final marks the first in 30 years that Argentina has won without Di Maria scoring.

By the time Argentina reaches another final, they will do so without the former Real Madrid winger. Colombia topped the 2024 Copa America with 12 goals across their seven games, scoring six in the group stage and six more in their first two knockout matches.

However, they were unable to score in the final, despite having eight more shots than Argentina over the 120 minutes. Lautaro Martinez’s goal in extra time was his fifth of the tournament, earning him the Golden Boot.

Emi Martínez has set a record as the first Argentina goalkeeper to keep five clean sheets in a single Copa América tournament. He allowed just one goal, which was scored by Ecuador’s Kevin Rodríguez in the quarterfinals.

Martínez was vital to Argentina’s success in the tournament, particularly making a significant impact during the penalty shootout against Ecuador.

Since the early 1960s, Martinez is only the second player to score more than four goals in a victorious Copa America campaign, joining Gabriel Batistuta, who netted six in the 1991 edition.

Lionel Scaloni remarked that Lionel Messi attempted to play through injury in the 2024 Copa America final “because he didn’t want to let his teammates down.” Messi was treated for an injury in the first half and substituted in the second half with a leg injury. Later, cameras showed him on the bench with a severely swollen right ankle.

“Leo has a quality everyone should have. He’s the greatest in history, and even with an injury like that, he doesn’t want to come off,” Scaloni said. “It’s not out of selfishness; it’s because he doesn’t want to let his teammates down. He was born to be on the pitch.”

This result marks the end of Colombia’s impressive 28-match unbeaten streak, with their last defeat before this being against Argentina in February 2022.

Davinson Sanchez, formerly with Tottenham Hotspur and now with Galatasaray, was one of the few Colombian players to speak out after the final loss.

“It hurts after a tournament where the whole team fought so hard, and it’s even more painful when we felt we deserved better. But we must thank the fans,” he said. “We wanted to bring victory to a country that deserves it—Colombia deserves everything. Although we leave empty-handed, we will continue moving forward.”