After 65 minutes in the final match, Messi was on the ground twice and had to leave the field in tears. That moment was revealed by De Paul as the motivation for the whole team to win the Copa America.

In the final match between Argentina and Colombia, Messi was forced to leave the field after tripping and slipping while trying to catch Luis Diaz. Before that, Messi also had a situation where he dribbled and lay on the ground in the first half while being tackled by his opponent.

Messi burst into tears after injury forced him off the field

After leaving the field, the moment Messi revealed his swollen ankle and burst into tears on the coaching bench was caught by cameras. However, Inter Miami recently announced that Messi had torn the ligaments in his right ankle.

De Paul recalls after Copa America final

De Paul recalled to the Argentine media: “In this match something happened, we were focused on the screen and saw him crying. We saw it on the pitch. People were screaming and we were attracted to it. There, we said that the match was for him and everything happened”.

De Paul added that the 2022 World Cup is also because of Messi. He conveys something very healthy, very peaceful. It is impossible not to love him when you know him better.

Copa America 2024 championship puts Argentina against Spain

Argentina retained their 2024 Copa America title by beating Colombia at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The title puts Messi and his teammates in another trophy match, the CONMEBOL–UEFA Super Cup, against Euro 2024 champions Spain.

The match is expected to take place in the last two weeks of May 2025, according to South American media. However, the exact location and time are still awaiting official announcement.