Argentina cements its place in history with Copa América triumph

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- As sunsets go, the one being enjoyed by the "Messi Generation" of Argentina players is almost impossible to top. It's full of gorgeous hues and bright colors, the reflected joy of three major trophies in three years, the most recent of which was Sunday's 1-0 extra-time triumph over Colombia in the 2024 Copa América.

It's easy to forget that the current run was borne of continued disappointment, with multiple final defeats in both the Copa América and World Cup. But then there was the 2021 Copa América, Argentina's first major trophy in 28 years, accompanied by the massive exhale that came with the realization that Lionel Messi wouldn't end his senior international career trophyless. The momentum created helped push La Albiceleste to the 2022 World Cup, ensuring the group's place in the pantheon of the unforgettable, and saw Messi match another Argentine icon, Diego Maradona. Now that the trio has been hit, matching Spain's run of three major trophies from 2008 to 2012, it makes this group legends.

"This team continuously surprises everyone," Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni said, with the help of a translator. "It overcomes every difficulty during the match with a very hard opponent, a difficult opponent. And without a good first half. I think that we improved on the second half and we deserved to win. And in the extra time, there's always a plus that they provide, and it is very gratifying to see the reward."

Sunday's match etched the likes of Messi, Ángel Di María and Nicolás Otamendi even deeper into Argentine lore, despite the team not playing all that well throughout. Still, the 36-year-old Di Maria, who ran fearlessly at opponents, was key in what he said will be his last competitive game for La Albiceleste.

"Angel has played amazing matches with us, but today's game was one of the best games for him," Scaloni said. "He played well, but he had a great attitude to apply pressure. And when everyone was starting to feel the tiredness, he ran as if he was 25 years old ... He's a legend and well, he is leaving us. We will try to have him play one more match to [say] farewell, a home game. I think he deserves that. It's like a movie."

Yet the match also marked the latest sign that the next generation is ready to take over. Scaloni has been hammering this point home for almost the entirety of the tournament, and he proved prophetic on this night. It wasn't Messi or Di Maria who scored the winner, but Lautaro Martínez.

The Inter Milan striker has been doing all he could to convince Scaloni that he deserved to be in the starting XI, scoring twice off the bench in the group stage, and five goals overall prior to Sunday. And yet he still found himself out of the starting lineup in this match, with Julián Álvarez preferred. But Martinez proved to be Scaloni's ultimate ace in the hole, coming on seven minutes into extra time. And, as has been his habit, he proved decisive, latching onto a delightful through ball from Giovani Lo Celso to hammer his shot past Camilo Vargas in the Colombia goal.

"[Martinez], he has been my No. 9 always, forever," Scaloni said. "And he didn't start in the final, but he has shown that he's an inherent scorer. Of course, maybe he's not happy because he didn't start, but he went in and gave it his best because he could have gone in feeling different. And I think we have to value it all. We value it all."

By then, Messi wasn't even on the field. In the 66th minute, Argentina's talisman tumbled to the ground with an ankle injury which eventually swelled up to the size of a grapefruit. As he took his seat on the bench, the tears flowed, the anguish on his face evident. Yet Argentina didn't miss a beat. In fact it raised its game, with another substitute, Nicolas Gonzalez, seemingly putting Argentina ahead, only for it to be ruled (correctly) offside. There were other heroes too. Emiliano Martínez provided some timely, critical saves in goal, including a fingertip deflection from a Jefferson Lerma effort in the 33rd minute; Lisandro Martínez was immense at the back, including a key defensive header in extra time.

Messi's reaction gives one the sense that in addition to Di Maria calling it a day at international level, the Inter Miami forward might soon too. If that's the case, it's a day that Argentina have long-known would come, especially given that Messi turned 37 last month. Yet even though you know something is coming, it can still be jarring. That was the case here, accompanied by the hope that Messi won't hang up his international boots just yet.

And to think there was a time when Argentina fans thought that Messi didn't care about the national team. They openly wondered why he couldn't duplicate his heroics with Barcelona for Argentina, as it suffered through multiple final defeats in the Copa América and World Cup. That misconception has long since been put to rest, first by him threatening to leave after the agonizing loss to Chile in the 2016 Copa América final, and later through the residue of winning trophies. The affection that Argentina has for Messi is now clear. As he hobbled off, nearly every fan of La Albiceleste bowed down before their hero.

Alas, as has happened far too often during this Copa América, the tournament's signature event was marred by more organizational ineptitude. Prior to the match, Scaloni said he hoped the final would be a party, but what he got before the game resembled a mosh pit that in some moments overwhelmed stadium authorities.

That mass of humanity then came dangerously close to being a crush, as fans were locked out of the stadium as authorities sought to restore a semblance of calm. Ultimately it didn't work. The gates were opened and an undetermined number of ticketless spectators made it into the venue, meaning kickoff was delayed by 102 minutes. Both coaches called the delay "weird," though they acknowledged that it was the same for both teams.

Regardless, it's more bad PR for CONMEBOL, and marked the latest example of how it failed to work sufficiently with local organizers to prevent such an event from happening. To be clear, this phenomenon isn't unique to the Copa América. Similar issues plagued the Euro 2020 final (held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic) as well as the 2022 UEFA Champions League final in Paris. All the more reason why CONMEBOL should have been better prepared.

Fortunately, calamity was averted, and instead the final finished with an indelible moment. Colombia manager Nestor Lorenzo said what Argentina has accomplished "is not a streak. It is an era." And by the time the trophy was due to be handed to Argentina, Messi's tears had turned to smiles. And he made sure that long-time running mates Di Maria and Otamendi were on hand to help him lift the trophy, amid a burst of confetti.

Even for a team as storied as Argentina, the moment was an apt finale for a truly magical generation.