Argentina have won their second straight Copa America championship, overcoming Lionel Messi’s second-half leg injury to beat Colombia 1-0 thanks to Lautaro Martinez’s 112th-minute goal.
Messi appeared to sustain a non-contact injury while running and falling in the 64th minute on Sunday and covered his face with his hands when he sat on the bench.
In heartbreaking scenes, Messi was inconsolable on the sidelines.
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But his despair later turned to ecstasy, with Martinez hugging his captain after scoring the goal that propelled Argentina to their record 16th Copa title.
Messi, who turned 37 last month, has previously said he hopes to continue playing for Argentina, but there is no guarantee he will make it to the 2026 World Cup.
Argentina won their third straight major title following the 2021 Copa America and 2022 World Cup and matched Spain, who won the 2008 and 2012 European Championships around the 2010 World Cup.
Argentina also stopped Colombia’s 28-game unbeaten streak dating to a February 2022 loss to the Albiceleste.
Martinez entered in the 97th minute and scored from Giovani Lo Celso’s perfect through ball.
Just inside the penalty area, Martinez sent a right-foot shot through the upraised arms of sliding goalkeeper Camilo Vargas for his 29th international goal, and tournament-high fifth.
Before kick-off, fans appeared to breach the security gates at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, which delayed kick-off by nearly 90 minutes.
Video posted on social media showed fans jumping over security railings near the southwest entrance of the stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, and running past police officers and stadium attendants.
A handful of people could be seen receiving medical treatment and asking for water in the sweltering South Florida heat. Officers were able to push the crowd behind black gates and lock down the entrance so that no one could get inside, although plenty of fans had already made it to their seats before then.
Miami-Dade County’s police department issued a statement on X following the scene, mentioning that there were “several incidents” before the gates opened at the stadium.
“These incidents have been a result of the unruly behaviour of fans trying to access the stadium,” the statement said.
“We are asking everyone to be patient, and abide by the rules set by our officers and Hard Rock Stadium personnel. We are actively working with Hard Rock Stadium to ensure a safe environment for all those attending. Unruly behaviour will get you ejected and/or arrested.”
A sellout crowd of more than 65,000 was expected for the championship match of the South American tournament.
It isn’t clear which of the fans who gained entrance during the rush had tickets to the match — CONMEBOL, South America’s governing body, released a statement a day before warning that fans must have tickets to enter the venue.