Of course, it was Luis Suarez.
One of the most polarizing players in soccer, the 37-year-old Inter Miami striker came on as a substitute and scored an equalizer for Uruguay in added time to send the chaotic game into a penalty shootout.
Ismael Koné, who had scored a stunning game-changing goal earlier, and Canada’s star player Alphonso Davies both missed penalty kicks to give Uruguay the victory.
Rodrigo Bentancur put Uruguay ahead with a shot from a sharp angle, and Canada scored with… well, we’re not sure what it was, maybe a standing bicycle kick with one foot on the ground? Whatever it was, it was an ambitious, daring play. And we liked it.
Facundo Pellistri’s first-half goal was ruled out by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), but substitute Jonathan David scored for Canada in the 80th minute. His team stood to earn $1 million in windfall revenue (third place in the Copa America gets $5 million, fourth place gets $4 million), but Suarez had other ideas.
Luis Suarez scores the equaliser in the 92nd minute 😱🇺🇾 pic.twitter.com/lD1toPMhUX
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 14, 2024
Add in pre-match comments from two former Leeds United managers – Marcelo Bielsa said the tournament was “unprofessional” and Jesse Marsch claimed his team were being treated like “second-class” citizens – and this was always going to be a lively fixture.
And in the end, it was Uruguay and Bielsa who emerged victorious.
Pablo Maurer, Joshua Cloke and Jack Lang analyze the big topics…
Luis Suarez is here…
It was a real treat to watch Uruguayan legend Luis Suarez play in his final Copa America match. He scored his 69th international goal on Saturday night in the most dramatic way imaginable, scoring an equalizer for Uruguay deep in added time, and then moments later he converted a perfect penalty to seal the win for Uruguay.
It was a bit of a redemption for Suarez. Despite the player claiming he didn’t mind playing just a few minutes in Uruguay’s first five games, many in the Uruguayan media had openly criticised Bielsa for not using him more. On Saturday, El Loco delivered, bringing him on at half-time, and the Inter Miami striker did not disappoint.
(Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
“I’m enjoying every moment so much,” Suarez told Uruguayan media earlier in the tournament. “At my age, the older I get, whether I play a lot or little, the more I enjoy it because I know that the flame of football is going out.”
In the small, mottled fields of Charlotte, North Carolina, we watched the flames grow dimmer. But for a moment, the flames burned very brightly.
Pablo Maurer
What does this mean for Canada?
First, it’s a blow to Canada to get $5 million for third place instead of $4 million. Granted, no one expected Canada to get that much money when the Copa America began more than three weeks ago. But the organization needs the money.
Canada has every reason to be confident and maintain a high level of confidence after a spectacular run in the Copa America that few expected. This is a team that was out of the running after the World Cup until 2023, and finally qualified for the Copa America after one tight playoff match.
David scored the tying goal for Canada (Omar Vega/Getty Images)
One of the most obvious positives from this result was the play of substitute Jonathan David. David’s scoring ability had been criticized throughout the tournament, but his second goal for Canada against Uruguay was a reminder of just how clinical he can be in front of goal.
But the painful shootout loss to Uruguay is still a long-term lesson for Canada. At their best, Canada is capable of dominating and persevering. The late lead is a reminder of how difficult it is to hold on against the best teams in the world. Marsh and Canada will no doubt be looking to improve their late defense. While the result itself won’t cloud their performance in the Copa America or the program’s overall progress, it does highlight the divide between them and teams like Venezuela and Uruguay. Canada will hope to better understand that divide in 2026.
Joshua Croke
Connection’s…standing bicycle?
How to describe Kone’s goal? It was a bicycle kick, a hook volley, a lob, and yet none of the above.
A standing bicycle? That pretty much explains it, but it still doesn’t do justice to the incredible ingenuity and athleticism that Koné displayed. Most players in that situation would have tried to head the ball but failed. Kon came up with something entirely new, and had the hamstrings to pull it off.
Canada is tied 🇨🇦
Kone’s finish was amazing 🔥 pic.twitter.com/zmvEaw692y
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 14, 2024
This is what the third-place match is all about. Sure, there is a small prize money up for grabs, but Really Never mind who wins. At their best, it’s a reminder that playing football is an end in itself. There’s no pressure, no worries. And Kone’s levitating moment was the ultimate stroke of genius – even if his penalty in the shootout was rather underwhelming.
Going deeper
Canada’s Jesse Marsh sees champion potential in Ismael Kone
Jack Lang
Did Uruguay have a point to prove?
The Uruguayan players have had a tough few days, with the team suffering a heartbreaking defeat to Colombia in the semi-finals and then several Uruguayan players breaking into the stands at Bank of America Stadium and clashing with spectators.
In response, tournament organizers CONMEBOL launched an investigation into the incident, and some South American media reported that up to 10 Uruguayan players may face some sort of disciplinary action. Uruguay manager Marcelo Bielsa used his pre-match press conference to criticize CONMEBOL for failing security, the state of the pitch, and a number of other issues.
Bielsa is approaching the turf without much time on the clock (Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Uruguay has faced criticism for its style. Bielsa’s teams have always been energetic and tough, and the current Uruguay team is no exception. The quarter-final against Brazil was the dirtiest game of the tournament, and Bielsa faced a lot of criticism for the style of play. Canada has also been accused of playing dirty, something Marsh denied before Saturday’s game.
Undoubtedly, Bielsa and all of his Uruguay players went into tonight’s match with a lot more at stake than just the prize money and the table, and they made a bit of atonement with a brave performance that included an added-time equaliser and a well-taken penalty.
Pablo Maurer
Why were there so many empty seats?
The inclusion of Canada and Uruguay in this match was probably a disappointment for the tournament organizers, as neither team is particularly popular in the United States. The attendance at Bank of America Stadium seemed almost comically small at times, with large amounts of empty seats in both the lower and upper tiers, and one side of the upper tier completely empty. It’s also worth noting that there is no third-place playoff at the European Championships.
There were plenty of empty seats (Getty Images)
CONMEBOL: The number of spectators at this tournament Ticket prices for the 2016 Copa America Centenario, held in the United States, have risen similarly. Tickets for group and knockout stages can cost hundreds of dollars, and can reach four figures on the secondary market. There are other problems, too: Poor marketing led to disappointing attendance in the NFL’s giant stadiums, and sweltering heat caused problems for some games.
But that wasn’t the case on a relatively sunny night in Charlotte on Saturday.
Some are even viewing the tournament as a dry run for the 2026 World Cup. It remains to be seen what lessons World Cup organizers will or will not learn from this tournament.
Pablo Maurer
Did Canada’s lineup changes work?
From the moment he took the job, Marsh has clearly had one big goal in mind: Canada competing at the 2026 World Cup on the home front.
Every decision was made with the World Cup in mind, and perhaps the most striking example of that approach was evident in the lineup Marsh employed in the third-place playoff, with Canada’s new coach rotating heavily and using four players who were making their first Copa America starts.
Marsh already has his desired 13(ish) players for 2026 in place, but he still doesn’t have a second key player. By benching Alphonso Davies, David and Stephane Eustaquio against Uruguay and instead starting Tani Oluwaseyi, Mathieu Choiniere, Ali Ahmed and, most notably, 18-year-old centre-back Luc de Fougeral, Marsh has given his young players valuable minutes in a must-win tournament. It’s a long-term bet that these minutes will pay off in 2026, with de Fougeral, for example, being more comfortable playing against difficult opponents like Uruguay in two years’ time. That Marsh was able to make this decision suggests the organisation is committed to what he is trying to do heading into 2026.
Going deeper
USA, Canada, Mexico: How the 2026 World Cup hosts fared in the Copa America
Aside from De Fougere’s tense moment, Canada’s new starters played well, and overall Marsh’s decision once again seemed a wise one.
Joshua Croke
What did Marsh say?
Canada’s coach said after the match: “The players are disappointed that we lost the game, but I was very positive about them. We’ve been together for six weeks, and then I came to this game, put new players on the pitch, playing for me against one of the best teams in the world, totally dominating the game, creating great chances. We were dominating for most of the game.”
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(Top photo: Getty Images)
