BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) -Argentines took to the streets to celebrate their 1-0 victory over Colombia in the Copa America final on Sunday after Lautaro Martinez scored an extra-time winner in Miami.
After a tense 90 minutes finished 0-0, Martinez latched onto a through ball before lifting his shot over Colombia goalkeeper Camilo Vargas in the 112th minute to secure Argentina’s third consecutive international title and a record 16th Copa win.
Whole families were out in Buenos Aires in the early hours of the morning, surrounding its famed obelisk in white and blue team shirts despite cold winter temperatures.
“We could not ask those guys for anything more, they do not stop giving us joy amid all the economic tension that we live with day-to-day,” said Pablo Rutz, a 26-year-old student, referring to 300% annual inflation that has stretched household budgets past breaking point.
Start of play at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, was delayed by more than an hour after thousands of fans without tickets tried to force their way in.
The game marked the final international appearance of at least one top Argentine player, with forward Angel Di Maria, 36, having said the Copa will be his last tournament.
Captain Lionel Messi, 37, and defender Nicolas Otamendi, 36, are also nearing the end of stellar careers.
Messi, who is not in Argentina’s squad for the Paris Olympics, injured an ankle in the first half and eventually left the field in the second, as fans bowed to him from the stands.
The eight-times Ballon d’Or winner was then seen sobbing on the sidelines, with an ice pack on his ankle.
“When Messi cried, I also cried, but now I’m happy,” said 17-year-old Damian.
Colombia came into Sunday’s match on the back of a remarkable unbeaten run of 28 games and despite the huge disappointment their fans were confident the team would bounce back.
“We deserved better, it’s a shame, but there can only be one winner and it’s Argentina,” said visibly disappointed 22-year-old law student Frank Ospina as he left a park in Bogota where he had watched with hundreds of others.
“We’ll win another time.”
Colombian President Gustavo Petro said last week that government offices will be closed on Monday.
(Reporting by Jorge Otaola, Noelle Harff and Kylie Madry in Buenos Aires and Luis Jaime Acosta in Bogota; Writing by Lucinda Elliott and Julia Symmes CobbEditing by Andrew Cawthorne and Peter Rutherford)
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