2024 Copa América Final: Argentina's trophy ceremony following 1-0 victory over Colombia

so Columbia's 28 match unbeaten streak comes to a close courtesy of [Music] Argentina cannot wait for the eruption when lonel Messi is handed the hardware and he lifts it above his head again he's getting awfully used to that three straight trophy lifts in major tournaments for Lionel Messi that to and we take you once again back out live to Miami John strong and Stu Holden guys and Rob I guess the question is what is it what is it that scalon and Argentina have figured out that few teams in the history of BigTime soccer have to be able to consistently get to finals and win finals he's incredible Lono scalone we we laid out and talked during the game about how when he was appointed it was a bit of a surprise but I've just been so impressed with his ability to pick the right teams to make the right Subs to to have the right tactics and it's not by luck when you continue to do it over and over and over and you and you heard Alexi talk about it a little bit there too I think we just take it for granted because Messi's a part of this Argentina team that well they've been to three straight finals and they've won but think back before scaloni and they they were losing in these finals and it was the it was going to be labeled as a a group and a team of the nearly we we nearly did it but this this team has a an inner mentality and just a winning winning culture it's it's there for everybody to see Messi tried to retire eight years ago in the United States after a third straight final loss in 2016 D Maria will retire off of this third straight title win here in the United States Alejandra Dominguez who's the president of Kobo the South American Confederation Victor montaliani next to him president of cona the confed ation of North and Central America and the Caribbean giving out these medals here A Walk in an experience that so many of these players are getting very used to lar Martinez we focus so much on starters in soccer understandably substitutions are limited but you see teams now instead of calling them Substitutes game changers or finishers that's what Lara Martinez is who cares if he's starting the guy's winning games for them yeah no he would love to start and I I bet he wants to start and play every game but but I I I think there's when you see players and teams when the guy comes off the bench and is as happy for the guy that's on the field and not it and when guys are coming off the bench and having a genuine impact and understand that their moment will come and I I think look when we think about Uruguay Columbia the amount of minutes that these players played throughout the course of the tournament scalone made big changes in game three he changes out three or four players in the quarterfinal and then the semifinal so it's balancing and picking and choosing the right guys for the right moments and then he went back to back lineup semifinal but hey guess what we said throughout the first half and second half guys off the bench will will make a difference and that's what we talk about with this Argentina team the stars but also the depth and we think about them in 26 Emy Martinez not going anywhere guys like Christian Romero not going anywhere you just saw julan Alvarez so they have two starting caliber forwards guys coming through the pipeline like Carboni and garnacho yes no D Maria probably no endi we'll see about Messi it doesn't seem like it's drawing up too much for them of available options than two years from now they they will be in the mix for 26 without a doubt and that is not me even remotely going on a limb this this group of players and look as we said too that they did it without Lionel Messi really one of one of his quieter tournaments that he has had but yet still he's lonel Messi and if he can find ways to be messy but the messy that Argentina need that that's the perfect recipe because that's the goat right there and even when he goes off we were talking about how they wanted to win for Di Maria today but then you had another Dynamic of let's go win it for Leo he's not out on the field that's Claudia toia there who's the president of the Argentine Football Association we'll see how bad the injury is when he next takes the field for inter Miami in MLS but an MLs player that is a Copa America champion gingerly walking across the stage with the adrenaline coursing through him a man man whose career was very nearly defined by what he could not do for his country is now defined by what he did do for his country in addition to the otherworldly Club career that he continues to produce and who knows we're going to see him in two years we certainly hope so but this is if he doesn't make it to 2026 the perfect walkoff the walk off for sure he pulled Maria over and endi as well the Old Guard as Messi said who are Beyond impressed to be in another final and he said coming out of the semi-final we're going to enjoy every minute of what we're living I'm conscious these are the last battles and it was a battle tonight and they had to earn this once again and they used every bit of their roster and they will celebrate this as a collective they will celebrate this as a country third consecutive time they come to a tournament and Win It Argentina champions of the Copa America USA 2024 Champion Ara [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] St sky [Applause] another summer of soccer in the books start the clock women's euroes in Switzerland and the conaf Gold Cup with the new United States head coach as well what another summer it's been Rob Stone back to you from a final time here in Miami John Stu thank you guys so much as we continue to take in the live scenes from Miami there's that phrase that apparel line out there old guys rule and I just love the fact that Messi brings Di Maria brings odomi over so all three of them can lift the trophy all three of them wore the captain's armband in this game you combine their ages 109 years of life experience between those three personalities and all three of them at the same time raising that Copa America crown so cool