Lionel Messi leaves Copa América final in tears with ankle injury; Argentina prevails over Colombia for 16th title

Lionel Messi left Sunday’s Copa América final against Colombia in tears after suffering an ankle injury in the second half.

By game’s end, he was all smiles as Argentina prevailed, 1-0 without its star forward thanks to a goal in the second half of extra time from Lautaro Martínez.

Messi exits with game in scoreless tie

Messi fell to the turf in the 63rd minute and immediately signaled to the bench.

He limped to the sideline, but his Copa América was over. Messi left the game in the 66th minute for Nicolás González with the game in a scoreless tie.

Messi broke down in tears on the bench as the moment settled in.

The precise nature of his injury wasn’t initially clear, but he was seen on the bench with his right ankle wrapped in ice.

A welt on his ankle was revealed when the wrap was removed.

Messi appeared to initially sustain an injury in the first half after a tackle on the baseline. He grabbed his right ankle after the fall, but returned to the game.

Messi, 37, has been bothered by leg injuries that have limited him for much of the year and injured his right thigh during group play against Chile. He sat Argentina’s group stage finale against Peru with Argentina having already clinched a spot in the tournament’s knockout round.

Argentina entered Sunday’s final as the reigning Copa América and World Cup champions. A record eight-time Ballon d’Or winner as the world’s best player, Messi smiled from the bench as Argentina secured its 16th Copa América title, breaking a tie with Uruguay for the most all time. Colombia was denied its second.

Sunday’s Copa América final was enveloped in chaos before it started. Fans at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium rushed the gates and broke down barriers to gain entry whether or not they had tickets. Authorities temporarily opened the stadium gates in an effort to alleviate injuries amid “serious concern of fans being crushed in an attempt to enter.”