Uruguay’s all-time leading scorer Luis Suarez has announced his retirement from international football after a 17-year career. The 37-year-old striker, known for his prolific goal-scoring and passionate style of play, will play his last game for Uruguay on Friday against Paraguay in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
Several Uruguayan internationals, including Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez and Tottenham’s Rodrigo Bentancur, have been suspended by CONMEBOL for their involvement in a brawl with fans following the Copa America semifinal against Colombia in July.
Lionel Messi, the Argentine football legend, has opted out of the Paris Olympics to focus on the Copa America. He explained his decision, citing his age and the desire to prioritize his club commitments.
India remained at 124th in the FIFA rankings, failing to improve despite Argentina’s Copa America victory. India has been slipping since December and is now behind Lebanon, Palestine, and Vietnam in Asia. Meanwhile, Argentina strengthened its grip on the top spot, followed by France, Spain, England, and Brazil.
Lautaro Martinez, Argentina’s super-sub, shone in the Copa America 2024, scoring the winning goal in the final. His journey back to form is a story of resilience, with Lionel Messi’s support and Scaloni’s unwavering faith playing key roles.
Miami-Dade County will review security protocols for the 2026 World Cup after a chaotic Copa America final at Hard Rock Stadium saw over two dozen arrests and hundreds of fans stuck outside in sweltering heat. The incident, which involved fans rushing security and attempting to enter without tickets, raises concerns about security measures at the future World Cup venue. Organizers and officials are now working to address the issues, including concerns about lax security and high ticket prices, which have cast a shadow over the tournament.
The Copa America final between Argentina and Colombia was marred by chaotic crowd control issues, leading to the arrest of 27 people, including Colombian football federation president Ramon Jesurun and his son. The game was delayed for over an hour as fans without tickets forced their way into Hard Rock Stadium, resulting in injuries and significant damage. Experts criticized organizers for failing to anticipate the passionate crowd and implement adequate security measures, citing similar incidents at previous major football matches.
Argentina secured a record-breaking 16th Copa America title by defeating Colombia, while Spain claimed the Euro 2024 trophy after overcoming England. These victories set up a highly anticipated Finalissima clash between Argentina and Spain in 2025.
Argentina clinched its second consecutive Copa America title, defeating Colombia 1-0, and becoming the first South American nation to achieve a unique hat-trick of Copa America, World Cup, and another Copa America victory. This triumph also makes Argentina the nation with the most Copa America titles with 16, surpassing Uruguay. Lionel Messi’s Argentina now prepares for the Finalissima in 2025 against the European champions, Spain.
Colombia coach Nestor Lorenzo acknowledged Argentina’s dominance in the Copa America final, attributing their victory to their current golden era. He cited the impact of the lengthy pre-game delay on his team’s performance and praised Argentina’s continued success.
