Lionel Messi: Argentina Win Copa America after 28 years

A "beautiful madness": Lionel Messi Argentina Win Copa America after 28 years, the superstar of FC Barcelona defeated the tormenting ghosts of the past and finally won the longed-for title with Argentina. Winning Copa America against arch-rivals Brazil is a relief.

Lionel Messi: Argentina Win Copa America after 28 years

Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates a 1-0 win over Brazil

It took 28 years for Argentina to finally win the Copa America again. For Lionel Messi it is the first big title with the national team.

Lionel Messi and his Argentines finally win Copa America after 28 years, and you could see that on the kickers in sky blue. Messi broke his title curse with the Albiceleste and was finally able to raise the long-awaited trophy in the air, in the famous Maracana in Rio de Janeiro the final triumph against arch-rivals Brazil. With the 1-0 win, Argentina has crowned South America champion again after a long 28 years.

Messi thus fulfilled a dream and won his first major international title with the Argentine national team - so far he had only won the 2005 U-20 World Cup and the gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games with the Albiceleste. Triumphs that don't matter, because Messi won them with youth teams with the senior national team he chased in vain for the longed-for title for a good 16 years. La Pulga and Argentina narrowly failed in the finals three times: At the 2014 World Cup, there was a bitter 0: 1 against Germany after extra time, at the Copa America finals in 2015 and 2016 Messi's Argentines were both dramatically defeated by Chile on penalties.

In the fourth attempt, it finally worked out with the final triumph, which was tantamount to a release - for the national team, but especially for Messi himself. You saw that directly with the final whistle, when almost all Argentine players immediately ran to Messi, with tears of relief and joy rolled down her cheeks. Then his teammates threw him into the air, heartwarming pictures, certainly also for neutral viewers. Images that contained a clear message: This Copa America title, it's Messi's title above all.

'Beautiful madness': Messi finally got rid of 'sting'

"What beautiful madness. That is unbelievable, thank God," commented Messi on the redeeming Copa triumph in the Maracana on Instagram under his picture with the trophy and then declared: "I had to get rid of this sting and achieve something with the national team. It's inexplicable madness, the happiness I feel. I had to leave sadly many times, but I knew it would work this time. There was no better moment than to beat Brazil in Brazil. "

A real maracanazo, one steeped in history too. Brazil lost a competitive game against Argentina for the first time in their own country and for the first time again a game in the Maracana Stadium since 1950! Back then, the big favourite, Brazil, lost to underdog Uruguay at the World Cup, and the term Maracanazo was born. Now Messi and Co. have created something historical in the sacred living room of the Brazilians in Rio de Janeiro.

"Champion in the court of the enemy," wrote the Argentine newspaper La Nación, while the Olé commented: "The joy of Lionel Messi is the joy of millions of Argentines." Messi and Argentina - they have defeated the evil spirits of the past and are finally at the goal of their dreams.