Copa America: It’s Argentina Again As Messi Lifts Career Trophy No 45

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  • Goal hero Lautaro Martinez emerges tournament’s top scorer
  • La Celeste Captain rolls ankle on Miami pitch, uses ice pack on sidelines

Lautaro Martinez emerged the hero as Argentina lifted the Copa America trophy with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Columbia while overcoming an injury to the irrepressible captain, Lionel Messi

It was another glorious night for the Argentines as they lifted the Copa America again, thanks to an extra-time strike from the tournament’s top scorer, Martinez in the 112th minute. This is La Celeste’s record 16th title, marking their history-making victory to surpass Uruguay with the most Copa América titles.

For so much of his career, the narrative has been that Lionel Messi was let down by his Number 9s. Gonzalo Higuain was the most frequent target of the accusation and his mantle had been unceremoniously passed to Lautaro Martinez in recent years.

But this summer, this Copa America, it was Martinez’s tournament. And when the injured Lionel Messi needed him most, when Argentina needed him most, he was the striker who scored the legendary goal to win his country the 2024 Copa America.

Martinez bagged the tournament winner in the 112th minute, leading Argentina to a 1-0 win and a second-straight Copa America title. It took them a scoreless 90 minutes, and a hell of an extra-time effort, but the Inter Milan star did what he’s been best at over the past month: score.

That’s back-to-back-to-back titles with a World Cup sandwiched in between and, this summer, Martinez is the man to thank. He’s the Golden Boot winner with six goals, but he’ll never score one more important than his late effort.

With legs tiring and emotions high, Martinez burst through the heart of the defense, picking his corner with ease. It’s the moment Argentina would have missed so many times in prior years. Not this time.

However, their irrepressible skipper, Messi could only watch from the sidelines. He was forced out early, the victim of an injury that saw his ankle swell to the size of an apple. In tears of sadness, as he departed the pitch in the second half, they turned to tears of joy when Martinez hit the net.

On this night, Messi’s teammates picked him up. Argentina are champions again, and the legacy continues. The Messi era may be ending, but Argentina’s reign of dominance continues.

Messi Rolls Ankle On Miami Pitch
Meanwhile, Messi’s ankle swells to the size of a golf ball as the Argentina and Inter Miami superstar was brought to tears by injury in the final match against Colombia

Despite suffering the unfortunate injury that left him in tears, the Argentine superstar got his hands on one more major silverware at the end of that contest, with Lautaro Martinez netting an extra-time goal in a 1-0.

He has now taken his record-breaking haul of trophies to 45 and counting. Having to be replaced, Messi rolled his ankle on the pitch at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami during the second half, leaving him struggling to walk and unable to continue.

After being substituted, the 37-year-old former Barcelona and PSG mercurial forward was strapped up with an ice pack on the sidelines with a badly swollen right ankle. However, away from the injury tears, the evening still finished with smiles and celebrations for him as Argentina successfully defended the continental crown they recaptured back in 2021.

For now, it remains to be seen how severe the injury is and how long it could keep him out of action. He has already missed five games for MLS employers, Inter Miami, and may have to delay his return to competitive action at the club level. – With Goal.com

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