Messi not spent like Ronaldo but this Argentina thrives without him

Amid mayhem outside the stadium, a kick-off delayed by 80 minutes and Lionel Messi sobbing on the sidelines, Argentina last night emerged not only as Copa America champions but also as one of the great international sides of any era.

Chaos has reigned at the 2024 Copa America – from constant complaints about the state of the pitches, to fans and players brawling in the stands after Colombia eliminated Uruguay in the semi-finals, through to a final marred by harrowing scenes of pre-match bedlam as a crush ensued after large numbers of supporters appeared to attempt to storm into Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium without tickets.

But at the end of it all, it is the most predictable outcome that has come to pass: Argentina are champions. Just as they were four years ago and just as they were at the World Cup in 2022. They entered this year’s edition of the Copa, staged in the United States ahead of a World Cup partially hosted there in two years’ time, as favourites to retain their crown. And as is becoming their standard practice, they delivered upon expectations.

“I don’t know if we’ve defined an era, but this team no longer surprises me,” Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni said. “We improved in the second half and deserved to win. It’s gratifying to watch the team play.”

For a long time prior to their recent success, Argentina consistently surprised fans and observers for their capacity to not win. Everything always seemed to be in place – an inordinate array of talented players, with creativity in spades, hard-nosed defenders by the dozen and more grit than an overfunded local council expecting a blizzard.

They’d had highly respected, forward-thinking coaches at the helm, too, from Marcelo Bielsa to Tata Martino to Jorge Sampaoli. And for the last decade and a half, they’d had the greatest player in the world.

Yet before their Copa America triumph in Brazil in 2021, they had not won the continental championship for 23 years. Until their World Cup victory in Qatar 18 months ago, they had not won the international game’s grandest prize since 1986.

In Brazil three years ago, they broke the curse by going into hostile territory and winning. After finishing as runners-up in four of the last six editions of the competition, they had at last gotten over the hump. Questions of whether Messi could win on the international stage were finally put to bed.

The monkey was off their back just in time for Argentina to go into the 2022 World Cup under a modicum less pressure than usual. As such, it was no coincidence that Messi produced the best tournament campaign of his long and illustrious career to fill the what was the only remaining gap in his trophy cabinet.

In the United States over the last month, Argentina proved that they can still win with Messi, who turned 37 during the tournament. And then, finally, that they could also win without him.

Messi only scored one goal and provided one assist in six games at this year’s Copa. But any parallels between his reduced output in front of goal and the struggles of Cristiano Ronaldo, his arch-nemesis, at the concurrent European Championship were like the Portuguese’s shooting – wide of the mark. Far from becoming an albatross weighing down his team-mates, Messi slotted into the role of chief facilitator; only the resurgent James Rodriguez (20) created more chances than the Inter Miami man’s 14.

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But equally, Argentina proved they are not reliant on their ageing superstar. Messi left the pitch in the final after 66 minutes, nursing an ankle injury apparently sustained from a challenge in the first half. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner was seen sobbing on the bench as his ankle visibly swelled to double its normal size.

On the pitch, though, this proved no distraction for Scaloni’s side. In fact, their best football came in their best player’s absence. They began to attack more frequently and, through Lautaro Martinez’ 112th-minute strike, mustered the game’s only goal to beat a Colombia side who hadn’t tasted defeat in an incredible run of 28 games.

It was Martinez’s fifth goal of the tournament as he claimed the Golden Boot, capping a stellar individual season that saw him score a career-best 24 league goals to fire Inter to the Serie A title. It is evidence of Argentina’s absurd strength in depth that they have been able to call upon a player of Martinez’s level from the bench for much for the Copa, with Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez preferred as Messi’s partner in attack.

Argentina’s run to a record 16th Copa America title was more often gritty than pretty. Despite such attacking talent, their triumph was built more on resolute defence, with just two goals conceded. And they were not always as dominant as expected; Canada twice troubled them before 2-0 victories – in the group stage and then again in the semi-finals – and penalties were required to separate them from Ecuador in the quarters.

But they have become only the second team in football history to sandwich a World Cup between back-to-back continental championships. The other was the great Spain side of 2008 to 2012.

After years of falling at the final hurdle, they are now relentless. Factoring in their Finalissima victory over Italy in 2022, they have now won more trophies (three) than they have lost games (two) over the last two years.

“It was written,” said veteran winger Angel Di Maria, who played all 120 minutes of the victory against Colombia and will now retire from international football. “It had to be like this. I dreamed of retiring in this way. I have so many beautiful feelings. I will be eternally grateful to this generation, which helped me achieve what I had always wanted.

“What better way is there to end than this? It’s not easy to reach finals and not easy to win them. I know because I’ve been on the other side of them.”

Having been on the other side is what has shaped this Argentina outfit into the all-conquering behemoth they’ve become. Strengthened by past failures, they have entered the echelon of the great international teams.