New Delhi: Lionel Messi did his iconic walk while lifting the Copa America 2024 trophy after Argentina beat Colombia 1-0 in a hard-fought final at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Monday, July 15. It was an emotional night for Messi, whose stay in the middle was cut short due to an injury before he was reduced to tears on the bench.
However, Lautaro Martinez’s late winner helped Argentina overcome Messi’s injury setback to beat Colombia in the all-important final and clinch their second straight title. Messi tipped over in the 64th minute and sustained a non-contact injury to his ankle. He was substituted by winger Nicolas Gonzalez, who saw off the rest of the game for Argentina.
Martinez scored the decisive goal for Argentina in the 112th minute when Giovani Lo Celso set him up for a one-on-one with Colombia goalkeeper Camilo Vargas. Martinez made no mistake as he slotted the ball back into the net to seal a 1-0 victory for Argentina. Martinez ran to Messi and gave him an emotional hug as the Argentina skipper’s agony turned into ecstasy.
During the trophy presentation ceremony, retiring Angel Di Maria and Nicolas Otamendi joined in as Messi recreated his iconic walk from the FIFA World Cup 2022. The trio held the trophy together and performed the iconic celebration as Argentina lifted the title.
Watch Argentina celebrate after winning Copa America 2024:
THE MOMENT WE’VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR ✨👏
LEO MESSI AND ARGENTINA LIFT THE COPA AMÉRICA TROPHY 🇦🇷🏆 pic.twitter.com/AX3N8z2D5v
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 15, 2024
Messi failed to make an impact in the final but finished the tournament with the most big chances created – 7. He bagged one goal and one assist in the competition, both of which came in Argentina’s 2-0 win against Canada in the semi-final. With their memorable triumph, Argentina became the first team to win 16 trophies in Copa America history.
Angel Di Maria signs off on a high
Di Maria, who had already announced that he would be retiring from international football after Copa America 2024, received a fitting farewell as he signed off on a high with the trophy. Di Maria has been one of Argentina’s best players ever since making his international debut in 2008 and has enjoyed a stellar career.
The former Real Madrid and PSG midfielder played an instrumental role in helping Argentina win the Copa America in 2021 where he scored the winner for Albeceliste in the final against Brazil. He continued his rich vein of form in the FIFA World Cup 2022 to help Argentina end their long-standing wait for a world title.
Di Maria was once again a key player for Argentina in the Copa America 2024. He finished the tournament with a solitary assist which came in a 2-0 win against Peru but utilised his experience to guide the youngsters in the squad, helping the team achieve success in the tournament.
Argentina captain Lionel Messi did his iconic trophy walk celebration with retiring Angel Di Maria and Nicolas Otamendi to lift the Copa America 2024 trophy. Argentina beat Colombia 1-0 in the final to lift a record 16th Copa America title. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
