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The most recent edition of the Copa América, held in the United States between June and July 2024, saw Argentina claim their 16th title in the continental tournament. The Albiceleste, led by Lionel Messi, defeated Colombia in an exhilarating final that was decided in the 112th minute by a goal from Inter captain Lautaro Martinez. With this victory, Argentina cements its position as the most successful team in Copa América history, surpassing Uruguay, who remains at 15 titles, and further distancing themselves from Brazil, who has nine.
This was the 48th edition of the competition, organized jointly by CONMEBOL and CONCACAF. Argentina’s captain, Lionel Messi, had already won the tournament three years earlier in Brazil, where they defeated the hosts in the final. Messi’s achievements with his national team are remarkable, including two Copa América titles, an Olympic gold medal in Beijing in 2008, a World Cup victory in Qatar in 2022, the CONMEBOL-UEFA Champions Cup against Italy in 2022, and the U-20 World Cup in the Netherlands in 2005. Messi also has a silver medal from the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, three Copa América runner-up finishes (Venezuela 2007, Chile 2015, USA 2016), and two bronze medals (Copa América 2019 in Brazil and the 2005 South American U-20 Championship in Colombia).
This is undoubtedly a golden era for the Albiceleste: since Lionel Scaloni took over as Argentina's coach in 2018, Messi and his teammates have won a bronze at the 2019 Copa América, gold in 2021, and now the latest triumph in the United States in 2024, not to mention the historic World Cup victory in Qatar in 2022. Previous World Cup victories date back to 1978 in Argentina and 1986 in Mexico.
