MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – The Copa America final between Argentina and Colombia is in the second half, with the start of the match significantly delayed and star Lionel Messi left with a right ankle injury.
Score: Argentina 0, Colombia 0.
Messi suffered a right ankle injury during the first half and will play in the second half. He tried to chase and kick the ball before it went out of bounds. But when Messi planted his right foot, it was twisted in an awkward position as he kicked with his left foot.
Messi writhed in pain and rolled to the field several times to be evaluated by trainers. At last he stood up to walk on his own strength, but without limping. He eventually went back onto the pitch, and remained in the game for the first part of the first half.
The Argentina and Colombia game did not begin until 9:22 p.m. ET, just after the original kickoff time of 8 p.m. The match was delayed after fans without tickets breached the security gates around 6 pm, leading to fans being kept outside the stadium before the game. ,
Under the leadership of Messi, defending World Cup champion Argentina hopes to create history with a second consecutive Copa America title.
Colombia – with a 28-game unbeaten streak heading into the final – hopes to win their second Copa America final and avenge their previous defeat, which came against Argentina in February 2022.
Follow along here as USA TODAY Sports provides live updates from Sunday night’s game in Miami:
Lionel Messi leaves Copa America final: Argentina 0, Colombia 0
Messi fell and immediately sought help from the trainers. It appeared that Messi was trying to run as fast as he could, but he slipped.
In the 65th minute during the Copa America final the captain’s bandage comes off, his right cleat is removed and he is emotionally slowly walking off the pitch.
Messi is covering his face while crying on the sidelines.
Angel Di Maria missed a shot on net: Argentina 0, Colombia 0
Angel Di Maria, playing his final match for Argentina, was about to have another big goal in a big game. but to no avail.
Santiago Arias misses chance to start second half: Argentina 0, Colombia 0
Colombia had a chance to start the second half, but could not take advantage of it.
Messi injury update: He re-enters the match after halftime Argentina 0, Colombia 0
Messi, who had injured his right ankle, re-entered the match at the start of the second half.
Nicolas Tagliafico misses header after Messi corner kick: Argentina 0, Colombia 0
Messi looks good delivering a brilliant corner kick. But just before halftime Nicolas Tagliafico’s header went over the net.
Messi appears to have injured his right ankle, will remain in the game: Argentina 0, Colombia 0
Lionel Messi appears to have suffered a right ankle injury during the first half of the Copa America final.
Messi tried to chase and hit the ball before it went out of bounds. He planted his right leg, which twisted into an awkward position before the kick was delivered. Messi writhed in pain and rolled to the field several times to be evaluated by trainers.
Messi eventually stood up to walk on his own strength, but without limping. Eventually he went back onto the pitch and remained in the game.
injury occurred at 36th One minute into the first half during a scoreless match.
Jefferson Lerma misses a shot towards the net: Argentina 0, Colombia 0
Colombia’s Jefferson Lerma found some space and let one into the net. It was just wide of the left post, and Argentina goalkeeper Dibou Martínez had his arms outstretched.
Lionel Messi misses shots on net: Argentina 0, Colombia 0
Lionel Messi had an opening and fired over, but his kick was deflected by Colombian defender Davinson Sanchez just before the 20th minute.
John Córdoba missed a shot towards the net: Argentina 0, Colombia 0
This shot from Colombia’s John Cordoba almost resulted in an early lead. so close.
Luis Diaz misses Colombia’s first shot: Argentina 0, Colombia 0
Angel Di Maria’s tribute before the final match with Argentina
Before his final game with Argentina, Angel Di Maria’s daughters handed him the game ball before the match:
Julian Alvarez misses the opening touch: Argentina 0, Colombia 0
Messi looks ready for Copa America final: here’s the latest
Well, the stadium is packed and the music has made up for the delay. Now, the players are being introduced to the crowd.
Lionel Messi took this free kick during pregame warm-up.
Match start delayed: What time will the Copa America final start?
The match was delayed by half an hour due to the situation with fans trying to enter Hard Rock Stadium.
Kickoff is now set for 9:15 pm ET.
Hard Rock Stadium allows fans entry, some without tickets
At approximately 8:11 p.m., the police officers withdrew and the gates opened, allowing fans with scanned and ticketless tickets to enter the stadium for the Copa America final.
Fans without tickets for Sunday’s Copa America final climbed over a fence and passed security more than an hour before the Argentina-Colombia match at Hard Rock Stadium.
USA TODAY Sports saw at least seven people receiving treatment by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue near the ramp entering the stadium. People looked distressed and had red faces and were given water bottles while sitting on the ground and along the low wall.
Starting lineups for Argentina and Colombia
President. Biden to address Trump’s assassination attempt before Copa America
President. Joe Biden will address the nation shortly before the Copa America final, forcing FS1 to start the match at 8 p.m.
Fox Sports announced that the game would continue on Fox following Biden’s speech.
Spain won Euro 2024, who will play in Finalsima 2025?
Spain won Euro 2024 with a 2-1 win over England early on Sunday, and could play the Copa America 2024 winner in the summer of 2025. No date or location has been set yet.
The last Finalsima between the Copa and Euro champions was played in 2022 when Argentina defeated Italy.
How to watch Argentina vs Colombia Copa America final on TV
The Argentina and Colombia match will be broadcast in English on FOX and in Spanish on Univision.
how to see: Watch the full slate of Copa America games with a fuboTV subscription
How to live stream Argentina vs Colombia in Copa America
A live stream can be found on FoxSports.com and the Fox Sports app in English, and on TUDN in Spanish.
Will Messi play in the Copa America final tonight?
Yes, Messi is playing. He is expected to start in tonight’s final, which will be his ninth match for the Argentina national team.
What’s at stake for Argentina in the Copa America final?
Messi and Argentina could finalize one of football’s greatest ever dynasties.
Another Copa America title tonight would be Argentina’s fourth major international championship in a three-year period.
Argentina won the Copa America 2021. It defeated Euro 2021 champions Italy in the 2022 Finalsima two summers ago. Argentina wins Qatar World Cup in 2022.
What’s at stake for Colombia in the Copa America final?
Colombia was unable to compete at the Qatar World Cup, so this Copa America has been an important experience for the national team and the country.
Colombia hopes to win its second Copa América title (2001), and play in its third Copa América final (1975, 2001).
Argentina vs Colombia, Copa America Final Prediction
Argentina 2, Colombia 1: James Rodriguez may produce a set piece to get on the board, but Argentina will be reliant on goals from Lionel Messi, Angel Di Maria to win this title, as they did with others behind their elder statesman. Sorry my Colombian friends. But this Argentine dynasty is not ending tonight. Safid Deen, Lionel Messi Reporter,
Argentina vs Colombia Copa America Final Betting Odds
According to BETMGM, Argentina’s chances of a win during a 90-minute match are +110, while a draw is +190 and Colombia’s chances of a win are +320. Argentina have -190 chances to lift the trophy, while Colombia have +138.
How long is Colombia’s unbeaten streak?
Colombia has not lost in the last 28 matches. Its last defeat was a 1–0 defeat to Argentina in an Olympic qualifying match on February 1, 2022.
Argentina’s record in the last three years
Argentina have lost only three of their last 63 matches. Their last three losses: to Brazil in the Copa America 2019 semi-finals; For Saudi Arabia in the opening match of the 2022 World Cup; and for Uruguay in Olympic qualifying last November.
Will this be Messi’s last game with Argentina?
Messi, the 37-year-old Inter Miami star in Major League Soccer, could possibly play his last match in a major tournament for Argentina during the Copa America final. Although Messi has kept the door open to playing in the World Cup 2026 given his health and desire to keep playing, if he changes his mind then this match could be his last match in a major tournament.
Tonight’s match will be the final in an Argentina jersey for big-game scorer Angel Di Maria, who helped Messi get the international monkey off his back during the club’s recent championship run.
When will Messi retire? Here’s what he said about retirement
37-year-old Messi has kept the doors open to playing in the 2026 World Cup. Here’s what he said earlier this year about when he could potentially retire.
Viral pictures of Messi holding Lamin Yamal baby in his lap
It’s surreal to imagine how Messi posed for these photos with 17-year-old Spanish phenom Lamine Yamal when Yamal was just a kid. This is the story behind the viral pictures of Messi and Yamal.
Uruguay vs Canada, Copa America 3rd Place Match Result
Inter Miami star and Uruguay’s leading scorer Luis Suárez came to his country’s rescue by scoring a late goal in the final minute of stoppage time, leading to a tie and a penalty shootout. Suárez also scored the game-winning penalty kick as Uruguay defeated Canada 2–2 (4–3 on penalties) in the Copa America third-place match.
Canada finished the Copa America 2024 in fourth place, but with excellent performances ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
