MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi went down with an apparent leg injury during the first half of Argentina’s Copa America final match against Colombia on Sunday night.
Messi chased the ball and tried to kick it before it went out of bounds. He planted his right leg awkwardly and appeared to take contact from Colombia’s Santiago Arias.
The 37-year-old writhed in pain and rolled over several times as he grabbed at his lower right leg. Trainers worked on the area for a few minutes before helping him to his feet. He walked slowly toward the sideline before reentering the game.
Messi had been dealing with a leg injury and discomfort through much of the tournament and missed Argentina’s group stage finale.
He had one shot attempt in the first half Sunday.
The teams went into the half in a scoreless draw.
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AP Copa America coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/copa-america
