MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Lionel Messi’s night ended early during the Copa America final when he emotionally exited the field in the 64th minute with an apparent leg injury on Sunday night, and cameras showed him later on the bench with a badly swollen right ankle.
The 37-year-old appeared to suffer a noncontact injury while running full speed on the pitch as defending champ Argentina remained in a scoreless match against Colombia.
Messi immediately looked toward the Argentina bench as he went to the ground. He remained down for several minutes as trainers came out. He was helped to his feet and immediately took his shoe off his right foot.
As he walked off the field, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner took off his captains armband and threw his shoe to the ground in frustration. An emotional Messi was then shown covering his face, sobbing in his seat.
Messi went down in the first half after landing awkwardly when chasing a ball out of bounds. He rolled over several times as he grabbed at his lower right leg. Trainers worked on the area for a few minutes before helping him to his feet. He walked slowly toward the sideline before returning to the game.
Messi had been dealing with a leg injury and discomfort through much of the tournament and missed Argentina’s group stage finale. He had one shot attempt in the first half Sunday.
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Lionel Messi, one of the greatest footballers of all time, suffered a leg injury and swollen ankle during the Copa America final between Argentina and Brazil. The injury occurred in the first half of the match, when Messi was tackled by a Brazilian defender while attempting to dribble past him.
The Argentine captain immediately went down in pain and had to be helped off the field by the team’s medical staff. It was clear that Messi was in considerable discomfort, as he was seen grimacing and clutching his leg as he made his way to the sidelines.
After receiving treatment on the sidelines, Messi attempted to continue playing but was clearly struggling to move freely. Eventually, the decision was made to substitute him out of the match in order to prevent further aggravation of the injury.
The exact nature and severity of Messi’s injury have not been disclosed by the Argentine Football Association, but reports suggest that he has suffered a muscle strain in his leg and a swollen ankle. It is unclear how long Messi will be sidelined for as a result of this injury, but it is likely that he will require some time to recover and rehabilitate before returning to action.
This injury comes at a particularly unfortunate time for Messi, as he had been instrumental in leading Argentina to the final of the Copa America. The team had high hopes of winning the tournament, with Messi looking to secure his first major international trophy with his national team.
Despite his injury, Messi’s teammates rallied together and put in a spirited performance in his absence. Ultimately, Argentina were able to secure a 1-0 victory over Brazil, with Angel Di Maria scoring the winning goal in the second half.
While the victory was undoubtedly a momentous occasion for Argentina, the focus remains on Messi’s injury and his road to recovery. Fans around the world will be hoping for a speedy and full recovery for the footballing icon, so that he can continue to dazzle us with his incredible talent on the pitch.
