Lionel Messi had his night come to an emotional end during the Copa America final when he exited the field in the 64th minute due to an apparent leg injury on Sunday night. Cameras later captured him on the bench with a severely swollen right ankle.
The 37-year-old suffered a non-contact injury while running as Argentina secured a 1-0 victory over Colombia, clinching their record 16th Copa America title.
Messi immediately signaled to the Argentina bench and went down on the pitch. Trainers attended to him for several minutes before helping him to his feet. He quickly removed his right shoe.
As he walked off, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner removed his captain’s armband and threw his shoe to the ground in frustration. An emotional Messi was later seen on the bench, covering his face and sobbing.
Despite limping after the game, Messi appeared to be in good spirits. He clapped, laughed, and celebrated with teammates Nicolás Otamendi and Ángel Di María as they lifted the trophy.
“We were able to win for him,” Di María said. “Give him the joy.”
In what might have been his 39th and possibly last Copa America appearance, Messi scored one goal in the tournament. He went down in the 36th minute after his left ankle was caught by Santiago Arias but returned to the field three minutes later.
40 Feel-Good Shows to Watch When You Need a Mood Boost
Messi had been struggling with a leg injury and discomfort throughout much of the tournament, missing Argentina’s group stage finale. He managed one shot attempt in the first half on Sunday.
Follow Us On Social Media:
Instagram
Facebook
TikTok
Twitter
