Report By Susan Omopeloye
Captain Lionel Messi was emotional as Argentina celebrated their 16th Copa America title with a 1-0 victory over Colombia at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
Lautaro Martínez secured the win for La Albiceleste by scoring the decisive goal in the 112th minute of extra time.
Messi, who had been chasing a major international title since he was 18, finally achieved his dream at 34 with the 2021 Copa America win, followed by triumph at the 2022 World Cup.
Despite being an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, Messi’s performance has shown signs of decline. He scored only one goal in the tournament, during the semi-final against Canada, and missed a penalty in the quarter-final shootout against Ecuador.
As the 2026 World Cup approaches, it remains uncertain whether this will be Messi’s last tournament.