Argentina defeated Colombia with 1–0 and won the South American Championship for the 16th time.
Lautaro Martínez scored the winning goal in the 112th minute, after a perfect pass from Giovani Lo Celso.
The emotions ran high afterwards for the 37-year-old Messi, who in the final of what may be his last major championship sat with tears and a swollen foot on the bench.
Martínez then comforted Messi with a hug directly after the 1–0 goal.
The reigning World Champions Argentina also won the last Copa América, which was played in 2021. It was the first time in 23 years that Colombia reached the final.
The final's kick-off was delayed by one hour and 20 minutes due to problems at the entrance, as the security check was overwhelmed by fans who wanted to get in.