Argentina Clinches 16th Copa América Title After Dramatic Extra-Time Victory Over Colombia
Argentina Sets New Copa América Record With Hard-Fought Win
Argentina just can’t seem to stop making football history. In a night that will be talked about for years, Argentina snatched their Copa América title number 16 after a nervy 1-0 win against Colombia in Miami. It took them over 110 minutes to find the breakthrough—the crowd was on the edge of their seats, and players looked like they'd given every last ounce of energy.
Lautaro Martínez, who started the match on the bench, became the hero of the night in the 112th minute. He slipped behind the Colombian defense after a clever setup by Giovani Lo Celso and chipped the ball past Camilo Vargas with the type of composure you only see from a striker in top form. There was sheer chaos in the stands and on the Argentina bench—players and fans erupting, knowing what this late goal meant.
This win lets Argentina leapfrog Uruguay in the record books. The 16th Copa América trophy means they now stand alone at the summit, breaking a tie that lasted for decades. The last time Argentina pulled off back-to-back Copa América victories was in the 1940s, but this team—under coach Lionel Scaloni—has transformed the national mood and raised expectations all over again.
Drama, Emotion, and Legendary Goodbyes
You can’t talk about this final without mentioning Lionel Messi. The global superstar looked emotional as he came off injured in the 65th minute. Cameras caught him with his shirt pulled over his face, clearly devastated to leave what could be one of his last Copa finals. His teammates rallied, but it was a jarring moment for every Argentina supporter who knows how much Messi means to this team.
Angel Di María, another giant of world football, played his last match for the national team. He nearly wrote the perfect ending for himself in the 57th minute—a rocket shot forced a brilliant save out of Vargas. That would’ve been a fitting send-off for a player who has scored in three major finals for Argentina. The tears in Di María’s eyes at full-time said it all; his journey in the blue and white jersey is the stuff of legend.
The match saw its share of tight calls too. Nicolás González, coming on for Messi, thought he had doubled Argentina’s lead, but the celebrations were cut short by a quick VAR review for offside. That was the story of the night—two teams giving nothing away and defending with everything they had as the tension mounted minute by minute.
Colombia didn’t just fade away. They threw everything forward, chasing an equalizer, but couldn’t break Argentina’s focus. This defeat halted an impressive 28-match unbeaten run—their longest ever—and will sting even more because of how close they came to forcing penalties.
Argentina’s road to the final started smoothly with wins in the group stage over Canada, Chile, and Peru. The real test came in the quarters when they had to survive a penalty shootout against Ecuador. From there, they beat Canada again in the semifinals without much fuss, showing the kind of grit and organization that’s become this squad’s trademark.
Scaloni, who also led the team to Copa América glory in 2021 and the World Cup in 2022, added his fourth major trophy as head coach. That’s a resume no Argentina manager has matched in more than three decades—and he’s done it with a core group of players who’ve grown up together on football’s biggest stages.
Lautaro Martínez finished the tournament as the top scorer and finally got his moment in a final, while Messi, despite the injury, was right there celebrating with his teammates after the final whistle. The win means Argentina not only cements its lead over Brazil—who have nine Copa América trophies—but also sends a clear message: this generation isn’t done making history just yet.