Dramatic final

Bitter tears, but Messi can laugh at the end!

Lionel Messi had to be substituted due to injury, but in the end he celebrated the title.(Bild: AP/ASSOCIATED PRESS, X/CopaAmerica)

It was the shocking moment of the match when Lionel Messi had to be substituted injured in the 66th minute of the Copa America final between Argentina and Colombia, and the pictures of the crying star striker went around the world. At the end of the evening, the 37-year-old still had reason to be happy ...

Messi, who had become the first player to play in five South American Championship finals from the kick-off, suffered an injury after around an hour without any intervention from his opponent and had to be substituted injured in what could be his last major tournament.

(Bild: AP/ASSOCIATED PRESS, X/CopaAmerica)

The Inter Miami striker angrily threw his boot to the ground and then burst into tears.

Nasty ankle injury
Photos circulating on the net show the extent of Messi's injury. It's a good thing it happened in the last game of the tournament, Messi probably wouldn't have been able to play another game with such a swollen ankle. 

The best consolation came when Lautaro Martinez scored in the 112th minute to make it 1-0 and put a smile on Messi's face.