Argentina defeat Colombia 1-0 to win record 16th Copa America title
Defending champions Argentina won a record 16th Copa America title by beating Colombia 1-0 thanks to an extra-time goal from substitute Lautaro Martinez at the Hard Rock Stadium in Florida.
This victory marks Argentina's third consecutive major tournament win, following their 2021 Copa America triumph and their 2022 World Cup victory in Qatar.
Martinez, the tournament's top scorer, received a precise pass from Giovani Lo Celso and skillfully chipped the ball over Colombia's advancing goalkeeper, Camilo Vargas, in the 112th minute, igniting jubilant celebrations among Argentine fans.
The match was not without drama. Argentina's captain, Lionel Messi, was forced to leave the field due to an injury in the 66th minute and watched the remainder of the game from the bench, visibly distressed. Additionally, Angel Di Maria played his final game for the national team, adding an emotional farewell to the occasion.
Colombia, whose only Copa America title came in 2001, faced additional challenges as the game was delayed by over an hour due to the influx of thousands of fans without tickets attempting to enter the stadium.
.png "Advertisement")
