Miami Gardens (US), July 14: Lionel Messi is one win from leading Argentina to a record 16th Copa America title. Colombia will do everything in its power to make sure that doesn’t happen in a matchup that pits the juggernaut against the surging force in the final.
It’ll happen Sunday night at Hard Rock Stadium, which hosted two group stage matches and will be the site of seven games during the 2026 World Cup.
Argentina, winner of the Copa America in 2021 and World Cup in 2022, can join Spain from 2008-12 as the only countries to win three consecutive major championships. The Albiceleste made it to Sunday’s final without a dominant performance from the 37-year-old Messi, who has battled a leg injury.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner zipped through defenders and created scoring opportunities for his teammates but he did not get a goal until deflecting Enzo Fernández’s shot past Canada goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau to help seal Argentina’s 2-0 win in the semifinal.
Ahead of the final, Messi said he’s battled discomfort at times throughout the tournament but assured it won’t slow him down on Sunday.
“In the final I’m going to feel better,” he said in an interview with DSports.
Colombia will play in its first Copa America championship in 23 years after extending its unbeaten streak to a team-record 28 games, one more than from 1992-94 and the longest current streak in men’s international football.
James Rodríguez has been its best player and arguably the best in the tournament. He leads the tournament with six assists, the most in a single Copa America since data started being tracked in 2011 and surpassing Messi’s five in 2021.
“James has had a great Copa America,” Colombia coach Néstor Lorenzo said through an interpreter. “We are lucky enough to have him at a very good level. The team has supported him. … I can only hope that tomorrow his performance will be great.”
Lorenzo praised his team’s collective work in getting to this point, which included an emotional win over 15-time champion Uruguay, and thanked Colombian fans for their support. (AP)
