Argentina secured their record-extending 16th Copa America championship with a thrilling 1-0 victory over Colombia in extra time.
The final, played on Monday morning at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, USA, remained scoreless after regulation time. But Lautaro Martinez, the tournament’s top scorer, emerged as the hero in the 112th minute.
Martinez, who came on as a substitute in the 97th minute along with Giovanni Lo Celso, capitalized on a pass from Lo Celso to fire home the winning goal.
Argentina’s captain Lionel Messi suffered an injury in the second half and was replaced by Nicolas Gonzalez in the 66th minute. Despite his absence, Argentina persevered and secured their place in history.
This victory not only cements Argentina as the most successful team in Copa America history, surpassing Uruguay’s 15 titles, but also extends their winning streak to three major titles. Argentina previously conquered the Copa America in 2021 and the FIFA World Cup in 2022.
