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On 4 July, in the quarter-finals against Ecuador, following a 1–1 draw after 90 minutes, Messi missed his side's first penalty in the ensuing shoot-out, but Argentina advanced following a 4–2 victory.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/2024/07/04/copa-america-quarterfinal-argentina-ecuador-score-highlights/74301166007/ |title=Argentina bails out Messi in shootout to advance past Ecuador in Copa América thriller |work=USA TODAY |last1=Deen |first1=Safid |date=4 July 2024 |access-date=9 July 2024 }}</ref> In the semi-finals against Canada on 9 July, Messi scored the second goal in his team's 2–0 win; this marked Messi's first goal of the tournament while also making him the second-highest international goalscorer outright with 109 total goals.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/live-blogs/argentina-canada-live-updates-2024-copa-america-lionel-messi-score-result/yRrle4paHuhm/BeNQ1qaCPjJZ/ |title=Messi passes Ali Daei |work=The Athletic |date=10 July 2024 |access-date=10 July 2024 }}</ref> On 14 July, Messi started the [[2024 Copa América final|final]] against Colombia, his 39th and likely final Copa América appearance, but was substituted in the 66th minute after suffering a severe ankle injury, later revealed to be on his right ankle's ligament.<ref name="LigamentInjury" /><ref>{{#invoke:cite web ||last=Thames |first=Alanis |title=Argentina wins record 16th Copa America title, beats Colombia 1-0 after Messi gets hurt |url=https://apnews.com/article/copa-america-argentina-colombia-score-messi-6753475603a48683a3c4971e451e8263 |publisher=[[Associated Press]] |date=14 July 2024 |access-date=10 September 2024}}</ref> Argentina eventually won in extra time courtesy of a Lautaro Martínez strike.<ref name="injurytears">{{Cite web |date=July 15, 2024 |title=Argentina win Copa final as Messi exits in tears |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/40564886/lionel-messi-argentina-injury-tears-copa-america-final |access-date=July 15, 2024 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref>
With the victory, Messi lifted his third major international tournament title as captain.<ref name="injurytears" /> The triumph also brought Messi's team trophy total to 44, making him the most decorated player of all time.<ref name="FirstMiami" /><ref name="mosttrophies" /> Messi would not return to Argentina to celebrate the tournament victory with his teammates, as he would remain in Miami to receive treatment for his injured ankle.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Garcia |first=Adriana |date=November 15, 2024 |title=Argentina
==== 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification ====
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