When is Lionel Messi playing next at Copa America 2024? Knockout schedule for Argentina matches

Juan Estevez

When is Lionel Messi playing next at Copa America 2024? Knockout schedule for Argentina matches image

Argentina arrived at the Copa America 2024 not only as world champion, but also as the champion of the last edition of this competition, won in 2021 on Brazilian soil. 

Lionel Scaloni's team, in what will be Angel Di Maria's farewell, will seek to repeat the title won three years ago at the Maracana.

But the star attraction — as always — is Lionel Messi. Revered by many as the greatest player of his generation, Messi is competing on his new home soil, as the Inter Miami star swaps club football for the search for more international honors.

Here is everything you need to know about Messi and Argentina in the Copa America 2024.

MORE: Copa America full schedule of matches and updated results for 2024

When is Lionel Messi playing next at Copa America 2024? Schedule of Argentina's matches

Having made it safely through their group as winners and then beaten Ecuador and Canada in the quarterfinals and semifinals, Messi and Co. are now into the final of the tournament.

Knockout stage

Quarterfinals

DateMatchVenue
July 4QF1: Argentina 1-1 Ecuador (pens 4-2) NRG Stadium
(Houston)

Semifinals

DateMatchVenue
July 9Argentina 2-0 CanadaMetLife Stadium
(East Rutherford)

Final

DateMatchVenue
July 14Argentina vs. Uruguay/ColombiaMiami (Hard Rock Stadium)

MORE: Lionel Messi record at Copa America - matches played and titles won

Will Lionel Messi retire from Argentina after Copa America 2024?

The best player in the world and, for many, the most outstanding in all of history, Messi has fulfilled his great dream by winning the Qatar 2022 World Cup, the culmination of a journey that included the title in the Copa America 2021 and the Finalissima against Italy shortly before the World Cup.

It seemed that after winning everything that a footballer can achieve, he would at least retire from the national team. However, as he himself said, he chose to stay to enjoy the party after so much suffering, and he quickly guaranteed his presence at the 2024 Copa America.

Whether this is his last tournament on the major stage remains to be seen. 

Argentina coach: Lionel Scaloni

From being a temporary replacement for Jorge Sampaoli to a confirmed interim and, then, winner of everything that a national team coach could achieve, Scaloni has become a national hero in Argentina. 

Without previous experience, he broke the curse of 28 years without titles for the Argentine senior national team, and formed a team that went almost 40 games without losing and won the 2022 World Cup. 

Despite all that, he has been engaged in a tense relationship with the president of the Argentina FA, Claudio Tapia, and so his presence in charge for the 2026 World Cup, for which the Albiceleste are well placed to qualify, is not guaranteed. However, at least he has made it to the continental American event. An entire country has demanded it.

MORE: Brazil vs. Argentina rivalry at Copa America - head-to-head record and stats

Argentina's record and history in Copa America: Titles won

The Argentine national team has won the Copa America 15 times, being the country with the most titles, along with Uruguay. Below is their record in the tournament:

YearHostResult
1916ArgentinaRunner-up
1917UruguayRunner-up
1919BrazilThird place
1920ChileRunner-up
1921ArgentinaWinners
1922BrazilFourth place
1923UruguayRunner-up
1924UruguayRunner-up
1925ArgentinaWinners
1926ChileRunner-up
1927PeruWinners
1929ArgentinaWinners
1935PeruRunner-up
1937ArgentinaWinners
1941ChileWinners
1942UruguayRunner-up
1945ChileWinners
1946ArgentinaWinners
1947EcuadorWinners
1955ChileWinners
1956UruguayThird place
1957PeruWinners
1959ArgentinaWinners
1959EcuadorRunner-up
1963BoliviaThird-place
1967UruguayRunner-up
1975VariousGroup stage
1979VariousGroup stage
1983VariousGroup stage
1987ArgentinaFourth place
1989BrazilThird place
1991ChileWinners
1993EcuadorWinners
1995UruguayQuarterfinal
1997BoliviaQuarterfinal
1999ParaguayQuarterfinal
2004PeruRunner-up
2007VenezuelaRunner-up
2011ArgentinaQuarterfinal
2015ChileRunner-up
2016USARunner-up
2019BrazilThird place
2021BrazilWinners

Juan Estevez

Juan Estevez Photo

Graduado de DeporTEA en 2011, Juan Estévez se sumó al equipo de NBA Global en 2019, luego de trabajar en otros sitios argentinos ligados al básquet como Pick and Roll y Básquet Plus. Desde 2022 forma parte del staff de Sporting News en español, cubriendo principalmente NBA, fútbol y NFL.