MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- As sunsets go, the one being enjoyed by the "Messi Generation" of Argentina players is almost impossible to top. It's full of gorgeous hues and bright colors, the reflected joy of three major trophies in three years, the most recent of which was Sunday's 1-0 extra-time triumph over Colombia in the 2024 Copa América.
It's easy to forget that the current run was borne of continued disappointment, with multiple final defeats in both the Copa América and World Cup. But then there was the 2021 Copa América, Argentina's first major trophy in 28 years, accompanied by the massive exhale that came with the realization that Lionel Messi wouldn't end his senior international career trophyless.