"GOAT" - Indian cricketer sends message to Lionel Messi as Argentina win 2024 Copa America
Team India left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav has hailed Argentina captain Lionel Messi as the GOAT after La Albiceleste beat Colombia 1-0 in extra time on Sunday (July 14) in Miami to win the 2024 Copa America. It marked Messi's fourth straight title with his national team and the second Copa on the trot.
The 37-year-old came off midway through the second period because of a swollen ankle as extra time ensued. However, Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez - played on by Giovani Lo Celso - produced the decisive intervention in the 112th minute to snap Colombia's 28-game unbeaten run spanning more than two years.
It also made La Albiceleste the first team to win 16 Copa titles as Messi picked up a record-extending 45th title for club and country. To celebrate Argentina's triumph, Kuldeep posted a picture of Lionel Messi holding both Copa titles he has won (2021 and 2024) in his Instagram story, captioning it:
"GOAT"
La Albiceleste are the first team to win back-to-back Copa titles since Chile in 2015-16. Incidentally Lionel Messi and Co. were at the receiving end of both final defeats in the two years, losing on penalties.
"If you win, it continues, and if you don't, it continues just the same" - Lionel Messi's Argentina head coach after 2024 Copa America win
Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has offered a pragmatic take on his success at the La Albiceleste helm after leading the team to their second Copa America and fourth straight international title.
Having ended the team's 28-year wait for a first major title at the 2021 Copa America in Brazil, Scaloni has since led the team to success at the 2022 Finalissima and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Following La Albiceleste's latest Copa America success on Sunday, Scaloni provided a sneak peek of his approach to the game (via Albiceleste Talk):
"It continues. If you win, it continues, and if you don't win, it continues just the same. That's the way to approach it. At some point, it will break, and the beauty is in getting up and rebuilding. If someday we lose, the beauty would be in rebuilding."
Meanwhile, playing his final match for Argentina, the retiring Angel Di Maria was the Player of the Match. He ends his international career with a rich haul of 31 goals and 32 assists in 145 games.