Defending champions Argentina secured their record 16th Copa America title by defeating Colombia 1-0, with Lautaro Martinez scoring an extra-time goal at Hard Rock Stadium in Florida on Sunday.
The match, delayed over an hour due to ticketless fans, was tightly contested until the extra period opened up. Martinez, the tournament’s top scorer, finished a precise through ball from Giovani Lo Celso in the 112th minute, igniting celebrations among Argentina supporters.
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This victory adds to Argentina’s triumphs in the 2022 World Cup and 2021 Copa America, providing Lionel Messi a fitting farewell in what is likely his final international tournament. It also marked Angel di Maria’s last game for Argentina, fulfilling his dream of retiring with a title.
Colombia started aggressively, hitting the post early on and forcing Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez into several saves. Messi injured his ankle in the first half but returned to play, although he eventually had to leave the match in the 66th minute due to the injury.
Despite the loss of Messi, Argentina pushed on, testing Colombian goalkeeper Camilo Vargas repeatedly until Martinez broke the deadlock in extra time after an earlier disallowed goal.
‘Deserved More’
Argentina’s victory allowed them to surpass Uruguay, breaking a tie of 15 Copa titles. It also ended Colombia’s record 28-match unbeaten streak, with their last loss to Argentina in February 2022.
“It’s painful after a tournament that everyone fought hard for, and we felt we deserved more. But we must thank the fans,” said Colombia defender Sanchez. “We aimed to give our country a win, and although we leave empty-handed, we will continue.”
In a small consolation, Colombia’s James Rodriguez was named Player of the Tournament, setting a new record with six assists, surpassing Messi’s previous record of five in a single Copa edition.
Leading up to the match, a video showed security clashing with fans attempting to breach the stadium gates. A Reuters witness reported several individuals being ejected, and some players noted their families were caught in the chaos outside and couldn’t enter.
The tournament faced organizational challenges, including clashes between Uruguay’s players and Colombian fans, and an assistant referee being hospitalized due to the heat during a group-stage match.
