The Athletic FC: Messi sobs in Argentina's Copa win after 'inhuman' fan chaos (2024)

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Hello! Time is catching up on Lionel Messi. But it can’t touch his nation.

On the way:

• Argentina win the Copa
• Distraught Messi limps off
• Crowd trouble delays final
• Inside Spain’s Euros glory

Copa Corner: Argentina elation after Messi tears

In isolation, Lionel Messi traipsing from the pitch, throwing a boot in anger and bursting into tears would signal a bad night for Argentina.

Au contraire. Messi’s anguish was personal and it made way for smiles in the end. Argentina are Copa America champions for a record 16th time. Lautaro Martinez — who else? — saw them through the final against Colombia, serving up another dead-eye goal (below) to win the game 1-0 in extra time. It’s the script as it was written a month ago.

Messi did not see out 90 minutes. He was injured in the second half and cut a forlorn figure as he reluctantly stepped aside, sobbing away on the bench.

This is his second Copa title, on top of a World Cup. For club and country, he’s as decorated as decorated can be. But he’s 37 and you have to ask if this is his body speaking to him.

Can he go again?

There’s been a Peter Pan streak to Messi but does he have the ageless zest to get to World Cup 2026? Last night warned us not to be presumptuous.

He doesn’t sound terrified of retirement. If anything, he talks about it philosophically but it looms over him more heavily than it ever has before.

He’s still casually breaking records in Major League Soccer and it goes without saying that if he can get to the World Cup in two years’ time, he’ll be there. But his fitness hampered him throughout the Copa and he had no chance of playing through the pain of a damaged ankle against Colombia.

“He was born to be on the pitch,” said Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, but as Inter Miami boss Tata Martino pointed out not long ago, the end “comes for everyone”. Messi does seem to get that. And unlike a certain Portuguese veteran, he seems less inclined to allow himself to be more of a hindrance than a help.

‘Inhuman’ crowd chaos

The Copa’s organisers would love you to focus on the celebratory ticker tape but serious attention will be paid to the ugly scenes and public disorder which delayed kick-off for over an hour.

Ticketless fans attempted to force their way into the Hard Rock Stadium in Florida, prompting the closure of security gates. Crowds of thousands built up outside, crushed together and forced to wait in searing heat with little or no access to water. The stewarding sounded dangerously inadequate.

One observer described it to The Athletic as “a disaster”. Another talked of “people piling on, there was more and more pressure” and of children vomiting. Two said they were threatened by police with tear gas and tasers. The mother of Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister called it ‘inhuman’ on TV.

The local authorities blamed “unruly behaviour” for the congestion and events such as yesterday’s are not unique to the Copa. Wembley in London experienced similar unrest before the final of Euro 2020 but the Hard Rock Stadium will host seven matches at the 2026 World Cup, including a quarter-final.

Lessons have to be learned, and fast.

More must be done

If CONMEBOL, the South American football confederation, takes one thing away from Copa 2024, it should be the need to professionalise the competition. Players involved in it have made the point that the Copa can be reduced to looking like a poor relation of the Euros.

The standard and sizes of the pitches used in the U.S. caused dissent and last night’s crowd trouble followed hot on the heels of the chaos seen at the end of Uruguay’s semi-final loss to Colombia. The Copa’s footballers do their bit to showcase the sport in the Americas. You’re left with the sense that those above them could do more.

Euros Zone: Spain’s team to make whole country proud

Spain are flying home with the European Championship under their wing and, when they land, the trophy ought to be sent on a tour of the nation.

You naturally think any continent-beating Spain team will be built on an axis of Real Madrid and Barcelona players, and that was true of their last great side. But not this one. Dani Carvajal was the sole Madrid face in the squad. Lamine Yamal was the only Barca talent who made a splash. Their glory was not an El Clasico gift.

Winning Euro 2024 owed much to resources drawn from Atletico Madrid, Real Sociedad, Athletic Bilbao and Sevilla. The Basque region did Spain proud and their line-up was so much more than a collection of galacticos — which might explain why they went all the way.

Tournaments aren’t won by individuals. Luis de la Fuente bred a clever, ambitious, collegial animal. Alvaro Morata typified that: once booed by the Spanish crowd but the head of the gang in Germany, instigating golf lessons, running poker sessions and pulling together Spotify playlists.

That said, Rodri was rightly player of the tournament and Yamal was laughing all the way to his young player award. Pol Ballus has written today about an unexpected triumph and an under-the-radar coach. World football hasn’t paid much attention to De la Fuente historically. It will now.

Questions for England

Gareth Southgate didn’t indulge questions about his future as England manager after last night’s final, which is fair enough. The grim moment of defeat is the wrong time to rush to any judgement.

But England can’t move on from failure in a second consecutive Euros final until they make their next move with Southgate. He’ll be out of contract at the end of 2024, which is the same as saying he is out of contract now. He either negotiates an extension in the very near future, or he calls it a day.

Like dominos, the outcome of those talks will have a knock-on effect for members of England’s squad:

• Harry Kane and Kieran Trippier are two players who would find the faith of a different coach harder to earn. Kane in particular has become an issue, tactically and politically. And without Southgate, is there any way back in for Harry Maguire?
• The free spirit and natural flair of Jack Grealish and James Maddison, neither of whom made it to Germany, has never seemed to suit Southgate. They could benefit from a fresh start.
• Kyle Walker is 34 and won’t go on too much longer at this level. Again, his World Cup 2026 prospects are probably better under Southgate than a replacement.

A degree of transitioning is called for but, at the same time, England have a stockpile of youthful footballers too, many of whom will improve over the next two years. That gives the Football Association a weighty dilemma. Southgate — stick or twist?

Action replay

We didn’t touch on this in yesterday’s bonus TAFC edition but now the dust has settled, I’m trying to get my head around the chance England had at 2-1 down. How did it stay out?

NEWS: Thomas Muller has retired from international duty with Germany. He’s taking legendary status with him: 131 caps, 45 goals and a World Cup medal from 2014.

Quiz Answer

On Friday we asked you to name the 11 players who featured in two European Championship finals between Euro 2000 and Euro 2020.

Anybody who remembered that Spain won back-to-back titles in 2008 and 2012 was in business. The 11 were:

Xabi Alonso, Iker Casillas, Cesc Fabregas, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Ramos, David Silva, Fernando Torres and Xavi (all Spain, in 2008 and 2012); Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal in 2004 and 2016); Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini (both Italy, in 2012 and 2020).

Got a question/feedback? Email us: theathleticfc@theathletic.com

(Top photos: Getty Images)

Phil grew up near Edinburgh in Scotland and is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering Leeds United. He previously worked for the Yorkshire Evening Post as its chief football writer. Follow Phil on Twitter @PhilHay_