Argentines taking to the streets to revel in their Copa América triumph inhabit a very different place now than they did 19 months ago, when their World Cup win sent millions surging into the same Buenos Aires square in a howl of collective celebration.

“Glorious,” Diego Cáceres, 38, recalled of Argentina’s massive open-air party on December 18, 2022.

“This is beautiful, too,” he said of Sunday’s crowds cheering and setting off fireworks around the capital’s landmark obelisk after Argentina beat Colombia 1-0 in extra time to win its third straight major tournament Sunday night.

“But it’s a cherry-on-top, or a reminder. It makes me want to go back in time.”

Poverty stricken

Economic crisis has stalked Argentina for years. But today, annual inflation tops 270%. Almost 60% of the country’s 45 million people live in poverty.

Argentines have become worn out by the high-stakes anxiety of the news: Anti-government protests raging, labor strikes paralyzing cities, President Javier Milei, a self-described “anarcho-capitalist,” unveiling new spending cuts. This week their televisions flashed dire warnings about the peso hitting new lows against the dollar, dragging the value of their savings down with it.

The last time Cáceres celebrated his national team in this downtown square, he worked as a cook in various restaurants and rented an apartment. Today, he said, he’s unemployed and sleeps on the streets.

“Everything is horrible now,” he said after the game finally got underway in Miami after repeated delays due to fan congestion.

“Just when you think things can’t get more expensive, they do.”

Crisis after triumph

Some in this superstitious nation joke that they paid a steep price in Qatar for their first World Cup victory since 1986, pointing to the crises that followed the triumph.

“Has anyone checked the terms and conditions of winning the Copa América?” reads one post on X widely shared among Argentines. “I don’t know if I’m up for a second round of winning at any cost.”

But Argentines say that they needed this tournament, and this trophy, more than they could have imagined. For Argentina, South America’s biggest football championship offered not just glorious achievement but exquisite, if fleeting, escape.

“It’s our best entertainment, that’s what makes it so important,” said Erika Maya, a 47-year-old homeless mother of six, as she peered at the televised match through the glass of a locked restaurant door. “You can forget everything that’s going on, and just enjoy.”

Messi-inspired respite

For every new outrage over the last 24 days, Argentines have found the respite of obsessively watching their beloved national team, led by Lionel Messi, play for an hour and a half, generating moments of agony and excitement that reverberate all over this football-crazed country.

“Football is the fruit of our society, it’s what we’re proud of, it’s what we give to the world,” said 21-year-old soldier Fabrizo Diaz, who watched the match with his girlfriend.

As the game kicked off at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, restaurants in Buenos Aires shuttered, streets emptied and the sprawling city fell eerily silent, with most Argentines in thrall to their TVs at home as though under a COVID lockdown. The looming specter of Messi’s retirement has heightened football fever in recent weeks, with the 37-year-old captain’s noncommittal muses in televised interviews inducing, at turns, nationwide hope and despair.

“I believe Messi is going to continue. I don’t know if he’ll make it to the next World Cup, but this is not the end,” said 32-year-old Adrian Vallejos, watching the final with his wife and son. “I mean, God, I hope so.”

Messi’s persistent leg injuries — including a hurt ankle in the second-half of the final that forced him off the field — have drawn more attention than his performances during this Copa América. But Argentines breathed a sigh of relief when, asked by ESPN this week whether this match would be his last in blue-and-white, Messi refused to rule out playing in the 2026 World Cup.

“We’re at a very poignant transition for this team,” said Alejo Levoratti, a sports sociologist at Argentine research institute CONICET. “It’s only at the point of his retirement that Messi arrived at his best moment and found this connection with his team, this communion with Argentina.”

Another Argentine great of the same age, Ángel Di María, had announced Sunday’s match would be his last, fueling a broader sense of nostalgia about the national squad. He had tears in his eyes as he left the pitch to a standing ovation after Argentina’s breakthrough goal. “I dreamt of retiring like this,” he told reporters afterward.

Successful run

After years of disappointments in international tournaments, the Argentine team has, more recently, clinched triumph after triumph — 2021 Copa América, 2022 inaugural Finalissima match, 2022 World Cup — exhilarating its troubled country again and again.

President Milei, who had a short stint as a goalie for the professional football team Chacarita Juniors, congratulated the national team in an all-caps message on X: “WE ARE CHAMPIONS AGAIN…!!!”

In litter-strewn downtown Buenos Aires, the site of so many protests in recent weeks, national pride appeared, briefly, restored. Friends and strangers draped in Argentinean flags and jerseys hugged and jumped up and down, some singing “Muchachos,” the unofficial anthem of the 2022 World Cup, others chanting Messi’s name.

Argentina’s Lionel Messi lifts the trophy as he celebrates with teammates after winning Copa America 2024 on July 14, 2024
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Argentina won its second straight Copa America championship, overcoming Lionel Messi’s second-half leg injury to beat Colombia 1-0 Sunday night on Lautaro Martínez’s 112th-minute goal.

Messi appeared to sustain a non-contact injury while running and falling in the 64th minute and covered his face with his hands as he sat on the bench and sobbed.

Martínez later ran to that bench to hug his captain after the goal that propelled Argentina to its record 16th Copa title.

Late start

In a match that started 1 hour, 22 minutes late because of crowd trouble at Hard Rock Stadium, Argentina won its third straight major title following the 2021 Copa America and 2022 World Cup and matched Spain, which won the 2008 and 2012 European Championships around the 2010 World Cup.

Argentina also stopped Colombia’s 28-game unbeaten streak dating to a February 2022 loss to the Albiceleste.

Martínez entered in the 97th minute and scored from Giovani Lo Celso’s perfect through pass. Just inside the penalty area, Martínez sent a right-foot shot through the upraised arms of sliding goalkeeper Camilo Vargas for his 29th international goal, his tournament-high fifth.

Making his 39th and possibly last Copa America appearance at age 37, Messi had one goal in the tournament. He went down after an ankle was stepped on in the first half but remained in the game.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner looked to the bench as soon as he fell to the field in the second half, appearing to know his tournament was over. He took off his right boot as he walked off and slammed it frustration, and his ankle appeared to swell.

Crowd control issues

Days after Uruguay players were involved in a brawl with Colombia fans following their semifinal match in Charlotte, North Carolina, video showed fans climbing fences and railings to get inside the championship match, with officials unable to keep track of who had purchased tickets and who didn’t.

Colombia was more aggressive and forced goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez to make four saves in the first half, but Argentina began to threaten more in the second.

Nicolás Tagliafico thought he scored in the 75th minute but was ruled offside. Nicolás González, who replaced Messi. was stopped by Vargas in the 95th minute.

Numerous players lost their footing during the second half of Sunday’s match. The grass was heavily watered with sprinklers following the halftime performance by Colombian pop star Shakira, which caused an extended halftime break.

Lionel Messi is seen during a training session ahead of the Copa America semifinals against Canada.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

Lionel Messi won’t be stopped by a leg injury and will play in Argentina’s Copa America semifinal against Canada on July 9 night.

Messi has been dealing with a right leg problem since the group stage win over Chile on June 25. He missed the first-round finale four days later but played the entire match in the quarterfinal victory over Ecuador last Thursday.

“Leo is good. He will be playing tomorrow,” Albiceleste coach Lionel Scaloni said Monday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

At 37, Messi has 13 Copa America goals and is four behind the record shared by Argentina’s Norberto Méndez and Brazil’s Zizinho but hasn’t scored in this year’s tournament.

“It’s an easy decision for me,” Scaloni said. “It’s a fairly honest decision: I ask him how he feels. If he says I’m not good,’ then he will play the last 30 minutes. When he’s available, he will play.” Seeking a record 16th Copa America title, Argentina beat Canada 2-0 in the June 20 tournament opener when Messi set up second-half goals by Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez.

“We didn’t do well enough with Messi last match. He was able to run free at our goalkeeper too much,” said Jesse Marsch, the American hired as Canada’s coach in May. “We all know he’s the greatest player to ever play the game.” Argentina outshot Canada 19-10, including 9-2 on target, and had 64% possession.

“It’s more of (an) advantage that we were able to play against them than it was for them to play against us,” Marsch said.

Both teams are coming off quarterfinal wins on penalty kicks. Canada, an invited guest from North America, defeated Venezuela.

In the other semifinal, Uruguay plays Colombia on Wednesday night in Charlotte, North Carolina. The championship is Sunday at Miami Gardens, Florida.

Argentina will have four days’ rest, one more than Canada, but both teams are coming off 90-minute matches. Tournament regulations call for extra time to be used only if needed in the final.

Argentina is seeking to win its third major title after the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 World Cup and to equal the feat of Spain, which won the European Championship in 2008 and ’12 along with the 2010 World Cup. The Albiceleste are tied with Uruguay for most Copa America titles with 15.

Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez has won four straight shootouts, against Colombia in the 2021 Copa semifinals, vs. the Netherlands in the 2022 World Cup quarterfinals and against France in the final, then vs. Ecuador last week.

Martinez, 6-foot-5, constantly shuffling his feet and a chatterbox trying to distract opponents, saved eight of 18 shots, stopping Colombia’s Davinson Sánchez, Yerry Mina and Edwin Cardona; the Netherlands’ Virgil van Dijk and Steven Berghuis; France’s Kingsley Coman; and Ecuador’s Ángel Mena and Alan Minda.

Canada was eliminated in the group stage of its only World Cup appearances in 1986 and 2022. It won the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup after gaining the title of a predecessor tournament, the 1985 CONCACAF Championship.

“We’re playing against the best team in the world,” said Cyle Larin, Canada’s career leader with 29 goals. “We have a lot of speed and power, but I think over those days we’ve been together we’ve been growing.”

Uruguay edged Brazil 4-2 in a penalty shootout on July 6 after going down to 10 men in a bruising 0-0 draw to march into the semifinals of the Copa America where they will face Colombia.

Sergio Rochet saved Brazil’s first penalty in the shootout from Eder Militao while his teammate Douglas Luiz hit the post to give Uruguay the upper hand.

Although keeper Alisson Becker denied Jose Maria Gimenez and Gabriel Martinelli scored to keep Brazil alive, Manuel Ugarte buried the decisive spot kick as Uruguay advanced.

With Vinicius Jr suspended for Brazil and watching on from the stands, Dorival Jr’s side struggled to create opportunities despite having a man-advantage late in the second half when Uruguay’s Nahitan Nandez was sent off.

In a bruising encounter with 41 fouls from both teams, players from both sides were involved in physical battles across the pitch.

Brazil’s 17-year-old forward Endrick was on the receiving end of brutal challenges as a high-pressing Uruguay refused to give him space to breathe.

On one occasion, Raphinha acted out when Endrick was pushed to the ground by Ronald Araujo as the Brazil skipper retaliated in anger by shoving back before the referee stepped in and had a stern word with both players, keeping his cards in his pocket.

But Araujo’s night ended early when he was taken off with an injury after the half-hour mark and the match suddenly burst into life moments later when Darwin Nunez missed a close range header.

Within seconds, Raphinha saw his shot on a counter-attack thwarted by keeper Rochet, Brazil’s best chance of the half.

With Uruguay unable to find a way through, coach Marcelo Bielsa made three substitutions by the 67th minute but his plans were foiled when Nandez saw red following a VAR review for a painful tackle on Rodrygo.

Nandez attempted to take the ball off the Brazilian with a studs-up challenge but only ended up catching his ankle, but the Real Madrid winger escaped any serious injury and was able to continue.

However, Brazil could not score against 10 men as Uruguay sat back in numbers and shut shop, opting to try their luck in the penalty shootout with no extra-time in the Copa America apart from the final.

Colombia through to semifinals with 5-0 thrashing of Panama

James Rodriguez scored one goal and set up two more as Colombia thoroughly dismantled Panama in a 5-0 win at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on July 6 to march into the Copa America semifinals.

“Los Cafeteros” are through to the semi-finals for the third time in four editions and they will face Uruguay, who beat Brazil 4-2 on penalties in Saturday’s other quarter-final.

“The most important thing is still to come. We hope to reach the final,” said Rodriguez, who was named player of the match.

“I am very happy because we are going through a good moment. Today we played a good game and scored the goals quickly.”

Striker Jhon Cordoba outmuscled his marker to head home from a corner and give Colombia the lead in the eighth minute, before Nestor Lorenzo’s side were awarded a penalty after Panama goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera brought down Jhon Arias.

James Rodriguez stepped up to the spot and smashed his effort into the roof of the net in the 15th minute to net his 28th international goal.

Panama had a brief spell of possession midway through the first half, with their best chance coming in the 19th minute when Roderick Miller’s header bounced off the post and directly at goalkeeper Camilo Vargas, who displayed great reflexes to swat it away from goal.

Colombia weathered the storm and punished their opponents from another set piece in the 41st minute, as Rodriguez played in Luis Diaz with a quick free kick and the Liverpool winger lobbed his shot over Mosquera from the edge of the area.

“We know what kind of foot James has and one look is enough. He saw me and I scored the pass. It was a nice goal. We are very in sync and we hope to keep on winning for the fans,” Diaz said.

Colombia eased off the throttle in the second half as they looked to control the game and see out the victory, but they were still the better side by far.

They scored their fourth goal in the 70th minute after Richard Rios took advantage of some confusion in the Panama ranks in the aftermath of a foul to rifle in a low drive from range, which caught Mosquera unawares.

Panama’s frustration appeared to show when defender Jose Cordoba clattered into Santiago Arias just inside the box to gift Colombia a clear penalty in stoppage time, which substitute Miguel Borja scored with the last kick of the match.

The win extends Colombia’s unbeaten run to 27 matches, with their last defeat coming in a 1-0 loss to Argentina in February 2022.

Colombia will play their semi-final match against Uruguay in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Wednesday.

Defending champions Argentina take on Canada – the only remaining CONCACAF side in the tournament – in the other semi-final in New Jersey on Tuesday.

The match marked the end of Panama’s fairytale run in the competition, which included a memorable 2-1 win over CONCACAF rivals and hosts the United States.

It was their best-ever performance at the Copa America, improving on their group stage exit on their debut in 2016.

“I am very proud of my players, of what they have achieved in this Copa America,” Panama coach Thomas Christiansen told reporters.

“Of course, no one likes losing and much the less 5-0, but we have to commend the players for this Copa America. It did not end as we wished, but this is also a learning experience.”

Canada team members celebrate their victory after a penalty shoot-out during the Copa America 2024 quarterfinal match against Venezuela in Arlington, on July 5, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AFP

Canada reached the semi-finals of the Copa America on July 5 after beating Venezuela 4-3 on penalties after the game finished 1-1 after 90 minutes.

Jacob Shaffelburg fired Canada into the lead in the 13th minute but Salomon Rondon equalised in the 64th before Canada triumphed in the shoot-out to set up a last-four meeting with world champions Argentina.

The Canadians, under American coach Jesse Marsch, who only took over the team in mid-May, are playing in the Copa America for the first time and produced a relentless display of pressing in what was a frantic game.

Both teams failed to score from the spot twice in the shoot-out, leaving it at 3-3 after five penalties each and sending the contest into sudden death.

Canada keeper Max Crepeau, who had made a major error for Venezuela’s equaliser, made ammends as he saved Wilke Angel’s kick.

That left Ismael Kone with the chance to win the game and he converted with an ice-cool penalty to set off the celebrations in front of a crowd of 51,080 mostly Venezuela supporting fans.

Canada played Argentina in the opening game of the group stage losing 2-0 to the defending champions.

Argentina’s goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez celebrates after saving a penalty kick in a penalty shoot out during the Conmebol 2024 Copa America tournament quarterfinal football match against Ecuador in Texas, on July 4, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AFP

Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was the hero, saving two penalties and Lionel Messi’s blushes as holders Argentina defeated Ecuador in a penalty shoot-out to book their place in the Copa America semifinals on July 4.

A Lisandro Martinez header had put world champions Argentina 1-0 up ten minutes before half-time but Kevin Rodriguez headed in a stoppage-time leveller for Ecuador, who had risen to the occasion in front of 69,456 fans at Houston’s NRG Stadium.

Messi missed the opening penalty, chipping against the bar, but thanks to heroics from Martinez, Argentina recovered to win the shoot-out 4-2 and progress into the semifinals where they will face the winner of Friday’s match between Venezuela and Canada.

Messi’s ‘panenka’ miss brought back memories of his miss in the shoot-out loss to Chile in the 2016 Copa final but luckily for him goalkeeper Martinez was in the mood to repeat his own past.

He pulled off superb diving saves to deny Angel Mena and Alan Minda and get his team in front before Nicolas Otamendi slotted home the decisive fourth kick.

Martinez had saved three spot-kicks in a 3–2 penalty shootout victory for Argentina over Colombia in the semi-final of the 2021 Copa America and famously saved two in the World Cup final win against France in Qatar.

Ecuador were left crestfallen after a match in which they had created enough opportunities to have won the game.

Felix Sanchez’s team made a bright start, dominating the ball in midfield and stretching the Argentine defence at times.

Moises Caicedo had an early opportunity, latching on to a header from Enner Valencia, but his shot was tame and easily dealt with by Argentine keeper Martinez.

Then Moises Caicedo threaded a clever pass through to the impressive Jeremy Sarmiento but Martinez was out quick to save with an outstretched foot and Kendry Paez blasted the loose ball over the bar.

Argentina gradually got a foothold in the game but it was not until the 28th minute that they had their first opening when Enzo Fernandez headed wide a Nahuel Molina cross from the right.

Seven minutes later, they had the lead however, Messi driving in a corner which Alexis Mac Allister met at the near post with a flick-on and Lisandro Martinez arrived with a powerful header that Ecuador keeper Alexander Dominguez was unable to keep out.

Fernandez soon had a chance to double the lead but fired a left-foot shot wide at the back post and Argentina went in at the break with a single goal lead.

Ecuador were given a lifeline in the 62nd minute when Rodrigo De Paul was ruled to have handled inside the box but Valencia’s penalty struck the outside of the post.

But in stoppage time, Ecuador stunned the 15-times Copa champions when Kevin Rodriguez glanced in a header from a John Yeboah cross.

There was a VAR review, looking at whether Jordy Caicedo had interfered in an offside position at the back post but the goal stood.

Moments later Jordy Caicedo had a great chance to win the game but he glanced a left-wing cross wide from a great, central position.

That meant the drama of a penalty shoot-out and the chance to upset the defending champions slipt away.

Uruguay players celebrate the team’s victory and progression to the quarterfinals after the Copa America 2024 match against United States at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, on July 1, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images via AFP

The United States crashed out of the Copa America on July 1 after a 1-0 defeat to Uruguay, as Panama sealed their place in the quarter-finals with a 3-1 win over Bolivia.

Team USA, who suffered an upset 2-1 defeat to Panama last Thursday, went into Monday’s final Group C game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City needing to match or better Panama’s result against Bolivia to advance.

But US coach Gregg Berhalter’s side never looked like doing enough to seriously threaten a well-drilled Uruguay outfit who advance to the last eight as group winners.

“It’s difficult to say right now, obviously the emotions are running high,” disappointed US captain Christian Pulisic said.

“We had a good start and brought a lot of energy, but just didn’t have enough quality. We just couldn’t find a solution.”

Hopes of a great escape for the tournament hosts faded inside the first 30 minutes, as news filtered through that Panama had taken a 1-0 lead against Bolivia in Orlando.

Those hopes were revived early in the second half after Bolivia equalised to make it 1-1, leaving the US on course for qualification provided they continued to hold Uruguay.

Yet the US optimism was punctured just moments later when Uruguay took the lead in controversial circumstances through Mathias Olivera on 66 minutes.

Ronald Araujo’s powerful header from Nicolas de la Cruz’s free-kick was parried away by US goalkeeper Matt Turner, but only into the path of Olivera, who tucked away the rebound.

Replays appeared to show that Olivera was offside when Araujo first made contact with the ball, but despite a lengthy VAR review, Peruvian referee Kevin Ortega ruled that the goal should stand.

The mathematics of qualification looked even more bleak for the US after news that Panama had scored again through Eduardo Guerrero to regain the lead at 2-1, and the final nail in the coffin came when Cesar Yanis added a third for Panama in stoppage time.

The USA’s first-round exit raises fresh questions about the future of US coach Berhalter, who remains deeply unpopular amongst swathes of American fans.

Berhalter was only reappointed to the US job in June last year following a hiatus after leading the team to the 2022 World Cup.

Yet the nature of Monday’s early exit is certain to reignite debate about whether he is the best man to lead the United States into the 2026 World Cup on home soil.

Failure to defeat Uruguay, 14th in the latest FIFA rankings, extends Berhalter’s poor record against top 20 teams.

Berhalter has just five wins in 20 matches against top-20 teams during his reign, and four of those victories came against regional rivals Mexico — who were also been eliminated from the Copa in the first round.

That dismal sequence continued after a toothless attacking performance from Berhalter’s side against Uruguay, where they registered only three shots on goal in a misfiring offensive display.

US defender Antonee Robinson described the officiating as “amateur hour” but stressed responsibility for the defeat lay with the American players. “Just not enough quality in the final third,” Robinson said.

“At the end of the day we weren’t good enough to get the result today. This is on us.”

Lautaro Martinez of Argentina celebrates after scoring a goal during the Copa America 2024 Group A match against Peru in Miami Gardens, Florida on June 29, 2024.=
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

Argentina shrugged off the injury absence of Lionel Messi to maintain their perfect start at the Copa America on June 29 with a 2-0 victory over Peru in Miami.

Lautaro Martinez scored twice at the Hard Rock Stadium to seal a win that ensured Argentina advance to the quarterfinals as Group A winners.

With Messi sidelined after complaining of a sore right hamstring, and coach Lionel Scaloni serving a one-game suspension, Argentina made nine changes to their starting XI at the Hard Rock Stadium.

But despite the makeshift-looking line-up, Argentina were always in control against a disappointing Peru side who managed just one shot on goal during a one-sided encounter.

Martinez’s first goal came just after half-time. A sublime through ball from Angel Di Maria released the Inter Milan forward, who calmly lifted a deft finish over advancing Peru goalkeeper Pedro Gallese.

Argentina had a chance to double their lead in the 72nd minute after Jesus Castillo handled in the area to concede a penalty.

But Leandro Paredes crashed his ensuing spot-kick against the woodwork to leave the score at 1-0.

Martinez then grabbed a second in the 86th minute, latching on to a long pass forward before finishing past Gallese.

Replays indicated Martinez appeared to shove defender Aldo Corzo in the build-up but referee Cesar Ramos waved Peru’s protest and the goal stood.

“It was tough in the first half because they were defending deep, but the first goal opened up the game,” Martinez said afterwards. “There’s a lot more to come from us.”

Martinez has now scored in four consecutive appearances for Argentina and is relishing his hot streak.

“Every time I put on this shirt, every training session, every meal, every team talk, I enjoy it,” Martinez said.

Argentina will now face the runner-up from Group B in the quarter-finals in Houston next Thursday, most likely either Ecuador or Mexico.

In Saturday’s other Group A game, Canada held 2015 and 2016 Copa America champions Chile to a 0-0 draw in Orlando, which was enough to see the Canadians into the last eight.

Chile needed a victory to leapfrog the Canadians into the knockout rounds but were left with a mountain to climb early in the game when Gabriel Suazo was dismissed for a second yellow card after only 27 minutes.

“It took a lot of hard work — it’s our first time in this competition and it’s not easy,” Canada captain Alphonso Davies said about his team’s advance to the last eight.

“There’s a lot of good teams in this competition and a lot of good players. But we stuck to our plan and we played well. We showed a lot of fight. We had to show our teeth at times, but overall we did well.”

Canada will play the winners of Group B in the quarterfinals.