New Delhi: Lionel Messi could not keep a lid over his emotions after the final whistle went off at the Maracana Stadium on Saturday. Messi’s wait for an international title came to an end after five minutes were added after the regular 90 minutes in the Copa America 2021 Final.
It was a match for the ages and the reaction on Messi’s face summed it up. He was on the ground with his hands on his face, then he removes those hands and you can see him crying, literally. Soon, his teammates surround him and the celebration continues.
Here is the video of Messi crying:
¡EL MOMENTO TAN ESPERADO! Pitazo final y así lo gritó Lionel Messi 🔟🇦🇷🤩
🇦🇷 Argentina 🆚 Brasil 🇧🇷#VibraElContinente #VibraOContinente pic.twitter.com/BacbLCghFU
— Copa América (@CopaAmerica) July 11, 2021
Messi was also in tears while with Scaloni after the win. His reaction reveals how much the win means for him. He has had to wait for 16 years to win an international title at the senior level for his national side.
During the match, Messi may not have made a major impact but he displayed his talents during a couple of flashy runs and dribbles. He also had a chance to seal the game for Argentina in the 88th minute but he failed to score from an easy position as Ederson was attentive there and grabbed the ball at his quickest.
It was Argentina’s 15th Copa America title win and their first since 1993. They reached the final in 2015 and 2016 but suffered heartbreak defeats to Chile in the finals. Messi was the top scorer in the tournament with four goals and was also the highest-assist provider with 5.