A goal deep into extra-time by Lautaro Martinez gave Argentina a 1-0 win over Colombia and a record-breaking 16th Copa America title.
The Hard Rock Stadium, one of the venues for the 2026 World Cup, had its gates barred by security when spectators tried to enter without tickets, therefore the game started an hour and twenty minutes later than scheduled.
The game was thrilling, however, it was marred with so many uncertainties as Messi went down just after the hour mark and was unable to continue. He limped off and watched on in tears from the bench.
Argentina finally broke through in the 112th minute with a goal from Copa América top scorer Lautaro Martinez, his fifth of the tournament.
The victory makes Argentina the first nation to win two consecutive Copa Americas with a World Cup win in between. Messi's squad equals the 2008-2012 Spain team as the only country to have such a dominant streak. This win also ends a 28-game unbeaten streak for Colombia, who had been performing impressively.
