Lautaro Martinez won the match for Argentina with a right-footed shot in the 112th minute and gave the team consecutive Copa America crowns.
However, Colombia failed to capitalize on these chances while Lionel Messi led the Albiceleste to a hard-fought victory after a 120 minutes intense contest.
Messi’s Historic Achievement
This win puts Lionel Messi ahead of Dani Alves as the most decorated footballer in history with 45 trophies to the latter’s 44.
Asides that, the mercurial Argentine is the player to have led his team to the most international cup finals as a captain (5 Copa America finals & 2 World Cup finals).
In other reports, Sportsbuddy reported the fans unrest that led to the game being delayed by an extra 20 minutes. Numerous viral videos shared on social platforms have left the fans fuming at the organizers. The event, similar to the chaos seen after the Colombia match, sparked demand for the 2026 World Cup not to be hosted in the USA.
In the tournament curtain-raiser against Canada, Lionel Messi made his 35th appearance, surpassing Chilean legend Sergio Livingstone to become the player with the most appearances in Copa America history. Messi has now played 39 matches in the competition.
In the last three years, Messi has added four international titles to his name which includes the World Cup, two Copa America titles, and a Finalissima honour, making him a legend.
Emotional Moments for Messi
Messi was substituted at the 66th minute after his ankle became extremely swollen.
Messi’s tournament has been affected by a muscle problem which saw him miss the group stage match against Peru. Nonetheless, he has been able to score one goal and make one assist in the tournament, both in different games against Canada.
Tears filled the eyes of the 37-year-old after being substituted in the final but a smile appeared on his face when Argentina marked the victory, writing another successful story of his career.
