Messi left the field in pain, ending the 2024 Copa America in tears.
In the 65th minute of the final match between Argentina and Colombia, Lionel Messi was unable to continue playing and was substituted off the field. On the bench, Leo broke down in tears.
It was a situation where Messi didn't collide with anyone; he fell on his own after a burst of speed, and his face clearly showed signs of pain. The "number 10" was then forced to leave the field, making way for Nicolas Gonzalez. On the bench, Messi couldn't control his emotions. He covered his face and sobbed uncontrollably.
Earlier, Messi had sprained his ankle in the first half after attempting a breakaway and colliding with Colombia's Arias. The 37-year-old striker tried to play through the pain, but by the middle of the second half, he could no longer continue.
Argentina was in a relatively easy bracket, and they experienced their toughest match of the tournament so far. Colombia, on a 25-match unbeaten streak, proved to be a formidable opponent with their tight and aggressive style of play, rendering Argentina's tango dances ineffective. In fact, in terms of ball control and chances created, the yellow-clad team even surpassed the reigning world champions.
The match ended goalless after 90 minutes, forcing the two teams to decide the winner through two extra time periods. But regardless of the outcome, the tournament is over for Messi. He only scored one goal and provided one assist in a total of five matches. That was the assist in the opening match against Canada, and the goal in the semi-final, also against Canada.
