Argentina wins record 16th Copa America title, beats Colombia 1-0 after Messi gets hurt
CTV
Argentina won its second straight Copa America championship, overcoming Lionel Messi’s second-half leg injury to beat Colombia 1-0.
Lionel Messi pumped his arms. The trophy bounced up and down in his grasp. Tears of frustration from an hour or so earlier had turned to laughs and hugs for the two-time Copa America champion and World Cup winner.
Messi was forced to watch much of the second half and extra time because of a leg injury. Still, Argentina won its second straight Copa America championship, beating Colombia 1-0 Sunday night on Lautaro Martinez's 112th-minute goal.
"Leo is the greatest player in history," Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said through an interpreter. "He never wants to leave the pitch. He has a swollen ankle and wants to keep playing. I prefer those players. He wants to play not because he is egotistical or selfish. He wants to keep playing because he doesn't want to leave his teammates. ... He was born to be on the pitch."
Messi appeared to sustain a non-contact injury while running and falling in the 64th minute. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner covered his face with his hands as he sat on the bench and sobbed.
Martinez later ran to that bench to hug his 37-year-old captain after the goal that propelled Argentina to its record 16th Copa title.
Appearing to be limping after the final whistle sounded well past midnight, Messi beckoned for his senior teammates to lift the trophy with him: 36-year-old Nicolas Ottamendi and Angel Di Maria, who is retiring from the national team. As white confetti cascaded, the trio hugged.
"The truth is, it's hard to describe," Di Maria said. "It was written like that. I told the guys last night at dinner that I dreamt it. That's why I said it was my last Copa America. I dreamt we made it to the final and we won it so I could go out this way.
