After Chaos For Argentina’s Win In Copa America, Fans Want Answers About What Went Wrong

Argentina won the Copa America for a record 16th time Sunday night, defeating Columbia 1-0 in extra time at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Lautaro Martinez came off the bench and scored the winner in the 112th minute, his fourth goal of the competition. The Argentines held on multiple times during the game as Colombia won the possession battle, owning 55% of the ball and peppered Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez with 19 shot attempts.

It was not a banner day for Lionel Messi, who needed to be subbed off in the 66th minute due to injury. In the first half, he rolled his ankle, and after the break, he crumpled to the grass with a non-contact alignment. Cameras panning at him displayed his anguish as he cried on the bench, along with his ankle that swelled profusely. The superstar did not share that it was his last game in a blue and white shirt, but Angel Di Maria confirmed his retirement from international football. Di Maria has made 144 appearances for his country and netted 31 goals. He and former Argentina striker Sergio Aguero are known as Messi’s best friends in the world.

Argentina played Colombia during the group stage and beat them by the same score of 1-0.

Unfortunately, the game story revolves around actions off the pitch. What was scheduled for an 8:00 p.m. kickoff ended up being 9:15 p.m. start time as unruly fans without tickets attempted to enter the stadium forcefully. Disturbing images displayed young fans and the elderly being trampled as the gates swelled over capacity. Many players were concerned for their families in the melee and found it challenging to stay focused during warm-ups. Tickets to the game were selling for over $1,500 on secondary markets due to the game’s magnitude and South Florida’s large Argentinian and Colombian population.

After the game, fans called on CONCACAF, the North American soccer federation, to explain their security missteps in letting the situation spiral out of control. Hard Rock Stadium will host seven World Cup games in 2026, including a quarter-final and stadium safety must be atop their list for improvements.