Miami (AFP)
Lionel Messi left the Copa America final in tears after being injured in the 66th minute between his country Argentina and Colombia on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, with the score at 0-0.
Messi fell to the ground after losing his balance while trying to recover the ball in the middle of the field in the 64th minute. He grabbed his right thigh and requested the intervention of the medical staff, who tried to treat him in vain. He was replaced by Fiorentina’s Italian winger, Nicolas Gonzalez.
The 37-year-old, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and 2022 world champion, limped off two minutes later to cheers from the crowd.
Once he sat on the bench, he could not contain his tears and put ice on his right ankle.
The Argentine star, who played 187 international matches before the tournament, did not rule out continuing with the national team until the 2026 World Cup in the United States, where he plays for Inter Miami, Mexico and Canada.
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