Argentina retain Copa América title after beating Colombia in Miami
It was a frantic final which had everything but goals until deep into extra time when Lautaro Martinez was sent through and made no mistake - slotting his effort into the top corner.
That would turn out to be the winning goal in the final and it confirmed the Inter striker as top scorer for the tournament.
Lionel Messi, in his 44th career final, has yet another trophy to add to his cabinet. The Inter Miami player has lifted his second consecutive Copa América in Miami, his home since 2023.
Argentina overcame a Colombia side who claimed a narrow win over Uruguay in a semi-final match that had everything, including a brawl in the stands between Uruguayan players and Colombian fans.
The road to the final
Argentina arrive in Miami after defeating Canada in the semi-finals of the competition with relative ease. In the quarter-finals, Lionel Scaloni's side sweated it out to beat Ecuador on penalties.
The match against the Ecuadorians was the most intense for Argentina. The World Champions found it hard to break down a defensive system and were getting hurt on the counterattack.
Emiliano Martinez was crucial for his team to advance to the next round, as the Aston Villa goalkeeper was once again the hero in the penalty shootout, allowing Argentina to stay alive and keep the dream of back-to-back titles alive.
Messi continues to make history
Messi, who hasn't had the most impressive Copa América in terms of statistics, has still performed well while other Argentinean stars have also turned up.
Lautaro Martinez, for example, has had a dream Copa América. The Inter man, who just won Serie A, was one of Lionel Scaloni's offensive weapons along with Julian Alvarez - a two-time champion of the Premier League with Manchester City.
Colombia leave with their heads held high
Colombia's defeat did not overshadow the good performance of Nestor Lorenzo's side in the competition. The Colombian team played some excellent matches.
James Rodriguez, who has had his fitness questions after a poor season with Brazilian club Sao Paulo, was superb and broke the record for assists.
Colombia, likewise, overcame rivals such as Uruguay and Paraguay throughout the tournament. Lorenzo's side also dominated Brazil in the group stage, while beating Panama and Costa Rica.
