Argentina may have come away with its 16th Copa America title with a 1-0 extra-time victory over Colombia in Miami, but Sunday’s historic win was overshadowed by a nearly catastrophic crush of fans outside Hard Rock Stadium before the match.
Throngs of thousands of Colombia and Argentina fans – both with and without tickets – crowded the entrance as Miami-Dade Police and security held them closed. After multiple delays, the match eventually kicked off with the gates being opened to avoid any further injuries or worse.
‘In collaboration with CONMEBOL and law enforcement officers, a decision was made to open the stadium gates for a short period of time to all fans in order to prevent stampedes and serious injury at the perimeter,’ a Hard Rock Stadium spokesperson told the Miami Herald. ‘There was serious concern of fans being crushed in order to enter. Law enforcement and security personnel were immediately deployed throughout the stadium and surrounding area to keep fans as safe as possible in light of this unprecedented situation.’
But this decision and the security response leaves plenty of questions about readiness to invite the world in two years time for the World Cup – not just for this venue, but for the entire country.
Still, the match went on. It even needed extra time even though the game seemed to take a backseat to the earlier events. Not that it matters to Lautaro Martinez and Argentina though – as they sealed their record-breaking 16th Copa America title off the boots of the Inter Milan striker.
Fans wait to enter the stadium prior to the Copa America final of Colombia and Argentina
Fans of Colombia and Argentina try to pass the gate amid massive disturbances
The decision to play the match – along with plenty of other choices by CONMEBOL this evening – should bring shame upon the federation as thousands made their way inside without tickets and vandalism left parts of the club section destroyed.
Hours of standing in the hot Florida sun led to anger and frustration as the gates were breached and hundreds of Colombia fans rushed in. Police then closed the gates and only let a few in at a time. Even journalists were subject to these measures.
Scenes of chaos reigned as fans pushed their faces up to the gates. People passed out in the heat and were whisked away for medical attention.
After hours the crowds did not die down and police had no choice but to let in people without checking tickets or bags periodically. Fans found those without tickets in their seats who wouldn’t leave and security was helpless to remove them. Eventually, police began going through sections one-by-one checking tickets.
Even after kickoff, social media videos showed people climbing the gates and through vents to try and get inside. All told, there were thousands inside this stadium that should not have been.
Fans rush the gates before the Copa America Final match between Argentina and Colombia
Fans use barricades as ladders to climb into the Hard Rock Stadium
Once inside, reports of vandalism began to make their way onto social media. Several people tried storming the ’72 Club’ and inside, escalators were destroyed and glass was smashed.
It’s a damning indictment of the preparedness for this tournament. It’s been brought up by coaches and players and the culmination was this evening.
With a World Cup coming in a few years, the United States did not get a passing grade in their handling of the Copa America from an outside perspective. From ticket prices to half empty stadiums to pitches and their dimensions, there seemed to be hurdles at every level for teams to clear.
But the end of the day, it was on CONMEBOL to take care of these things. The federation should be ashamed of itself for how this tournament was run. After all, it was the federation who organized everything – including security – and their lack of preparedness caused injury to many on this day and could have led to much much worse.
That scrutiny should include the decision to play this game. With thousands inside without tickets – including many who hadn’t been checked by security – over an hour after this match was set to begin, Lionel Messi got the ball rolling.
Argentina fans seen crying after successfully entering the Hard Rock Stadium
Even with its obvious flouting of trivial matters such as seat numbers and fire capacity, the crowd was a chorus and tapestry of color – the yellow of Colombia and the blue and white of Argentina mixed together throughout the stadium’s lower bowl.
The chorus of fans wasn’t bad either. ‘I am an Argentinian, it’s a feeling I can’t stop’ was met with ‘Let’s go Colombia, tonight we are going to win’. Chants of ‘Messi Messi’ saw responses of ‘James James’ for the Cafateros’ maestro Rodriguez.
The football was quite symphonic as well – but more Wagner than Mozart. Brutal challenges saw players on both sides flying all over the pitch as referee Raphael Claus largely let each team go on – save for the most obvious fouls.
A magical matchup of Messi and James was promised and at first it seemed the Argentine maestro would get the better of his Colombian counterpart. The match didn’t end the way either wanted – with Messi being taken off early with an injury and James making his impact known, but not capitalizing.
Messi left with plenty of bruises. Early on, he was spiked on the ankle and rolled around the pitch in pain as tens of thousands of Argentinians held their breath. He returned to the field with scores of his countrymen applauding.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi looked dejected after being substituted due to injury
The Copa America trophy is displayed prior to the final match of the 2024 tournament
But disaster struck again when Messi went down with a non-contact injury in the 64th minute. After laying on the ground for a number of minutes, the 37-year-old – who has been mostly unimpressive this Copa America – was taken off for Nico Gonzalez in what may be his final appearance at a major tournament.
He threw his right boot to the ground in anger as the crowd chanted his name and bowed. Tears rolled down Messi’s face – this was it, his time with Argentina at the Copa America was finished.
Argentina thought they had found their breakthrough via the lunging boot of Messi’s replacement, Nico Gonzalez, causing raucous celebrations – only to be immediately quashed with the flag of the linesman for offside.
Gonzalez had another chance with three minutes remaining in normal time, but his looping header went across the mouth of goal and past Julian Alvarez at the back post. No opportunities were capitalized on and so this match went to extra time.
Police officers inside the stadium as the game is delayed due to incidents outside the stadium
Argentina’s Nicolas Gonzalez reacts after he scored a goal that was disallowed
The first period of extra time truly showed how rough this match was. Bodies crumpled to the ground with late lunges and kicks and Claus was not having any of it.
Plenty of chances were had, however. Luis Diaz’s shot that was deflected wide midway through the interval was arguably the best attempt of the first 15 minutes of extra time.
Fatigue was clearly setting in for the second 15 minutes and that was exactly what lead to Argentina’s breakthrough. An excellently timed tackle by Rodrigo De Paul was recovered and found by Lautaro Martinez. Martinez played a pass to Giovanni Lo Celso – who played it back into Martinez’s path. He scythed through the Colombian backline and slotted home a perfect shot for the 1-0 lead.
A sea of Albiceleste scarves, shirts, and flags waved in the Miami night as the yellow-clad stood still in shock.
As the press box shook the final whistle sounded on a night that will live on in the memory of Argentina fans for years to come – but will serve as a damning indictment of a tournament rife with problems ahead of inviting the entire world in 2026.
