Lionel Messi was forced to leave the Copa América final against Colombia on Sunday due to an ankle injury, which left him in tears during the second half of the game. Despite his absence, Argentina managed to secure a 1-0 victory in extra time with a goal from Lautaro Martínez.
Messi exits with game in scoreless tie
After falling to the turf in the 63rd minute, Messi signaled to the bench and was subsequently substituted in the 66th minute for Nicolás González with the game still tied at 0-0.
Although the exact nature of his injury was initially unclear, Messi was later seen on the bench with ice wrapped around his right ankle, revealing a welt upon its removal. The injury appeared to have been aggravated by a tackle in the first half, which caused Messi to temporarily leave the game.
Throughout the year, Messi has been plagued by leg injuries, including one to his right thigh during a match against Chile in the group stage. Despite these setbacks, Argentina emerged victorious in the final, securing their 16th Copa América title and breaking a tie with Uruguay for the most championships.
Notably, the Copa América final was marred by chaos before kickoff as fans at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium rushed the gates and broke barriers in an attempt to gain entry without tickets. Authorities had to intervene to prevent potential injuries from occurring.