Scenes reminiscent of what Liverpool fans experienced in Paris just two years ago played out at the southwest gate of Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium for the Copa America final.
Thousands of Colombian and Argentine fans, with and without tickets, crowded the entrance as Miami-Dade police and security officers kept them closed. After multiple delays, the game finally began and the doors were opened to prevent further injuries or worse.
“In collaboration with CONMEBOL and law enforcement, the decision was made to open the stadium gates for a short period of time to all fans to prevent stampedes and serious injuries on the perimeter,” a Hard Rock Stadium spokesperson said. The Miami Herald“There was serious concern that fans could be crushed while trying to gain entry. 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 leave many questions about the preparation for inviting the world to the World Cup in two years, not just to this venue, but to the entire country.
The match went ahead, however. Extra time was even necessary, but the game seemed to take a backseat to the events that had come before. That didn’t matter to Lautaro Martínez and Argentina, however, who sealed their 16th Copa America title under the boots of the Inter Milan striker.
Fans wait to enter the stadium before the Copa America final between Colombia and Argentina
Colombia and Argentina fans try to pass the goal amid mass riots
The decision to play the match – along with many other CONMEBOL decisions tonight – should embarrass the federation, as thousands of people entered the stadium without tickets and vandalism left parts of the club section destroyed.
Hours of waiting under the hot Florida sun led to anger and frustration as the gates were breached and hundreds of Colombian fans rushed in. Police locked the gates and only let in a few at a time. Even journalists were targeted.
Chaotic scenes erupted as fans approached the gates. Some people fainted from the heat and were rushed to receive medical attention.
After closing time, the crowd did not calm down and the police had no choice but to let people in without regularly checking tickets and bags. Fans found people without tickets in their seats who did not want to leave and security could do nothing to remove them. Eventually, the police began to go through the sections one by one checking the entrances.
Even after the start, videos on social media showed people climbing the doors and Through vents to try to get in. In total, there were thousands of people inside this stadium who shouldn’t have been there.
Fans rush to get into the gates ahead of the Copa America final match between Argentina and Colombia
Fans use barricades as stairs to climb into Hard Rock Stadium
Once inside, reports of vandalism began to circulate on social media. Several people tried to break into the ’72 Club’ and, inside, The escalators were destroyed and the windows broken..
It is a strong criticism of the preparation for this tournament. It has been raised by both coaches and players and the climax came this afternoon.
With a World Cup coming up in just a few years, the United States did not get a passing grade in its 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 obstacles at every level for teams to overcome.
But in the end, the responsibility for dealing with these things fell to CONMEBOL. The federation should be ashamed of itself for how this tournament was conducted. After all, it was the federation that organised everything, including security, and its lack of preparation led to injuries to many people that day and could have led to much worse things.
That scrutiny should include the decision to play this match. With thousands of people inside without tickets — including many who had not been checked by security — more than an hour after the match was scheduled to begin, Lionel Messi got the ball rolling.
Argentine fans cry after successfully entering Hard Rock Stadium
Even with their obvious mockery of trivial matters like seating capacity and firepower, the crowd was a chorus and a tapestry of color: the yellow of Colombia and the blue and white of Argentina mixed throughout the lower deck of the stadium.
The chorus of fans was not bad either. “I am Argentine, it is a feeling I cannot stop” was answered with “Let’s go Colombia, tonight we are going to win.” The chants of “Messi Messi” were answered with “James James” for the Cafateros’ maestro Rodriguez.
The football was also quite symphonic, but more Wagner than Mozart. Players from both teams threw themselves all over the field in brutal tackles, while referee Raphael Claus allowed almost all teams to come out to play, except in the case of the most obvious fouls.
A magical duel between Messi and James was promised and at first it looked like the Argentine maestro would outperform his Colombian counterpart. The match did not end the way either of them wanted: Messi had to leave the field due to injury and James made his impact felt but did not take advantage of it.
Messi left with many bruises. Early in the match, he received a puncture in his ankle and rolled around the field in pain as tens of thousands of Argentines held their breath. He returned to the field amid scores of applauding countrymen.
Argentine Lionel Messi looked dejected after being substituted due to injury
The Copa America trophy is displayed ahead of the final match of the 2024 tournament
But disaster struck again when Messi fell to the ground with a non-contact injury in the 64th minute. After lying on the ground for several minutes, the 37-year-old, who has not been impressive in this Copa America, was replaced by Nico Gonzalez in what could be his last appearance in a major tournament.
He threw his right boot to the ground in rage as the crowd chanted his name and bowed. Tears rolled down Messi’s face: it was time, his time with Argentina at the Copa America was over.
Argentina thought they had found their chance thanks to a powerful foot from Messi’s replacement Nico Gonzalez, prompting thunderous celebrations, only for it to be immediately ruled out with the linesman’s flag for offside.
González had another chance three minutes from the end of regulation time, but his header went wide of the goal and past Julián Álvarez at the far post. The chances were not taken and the match had to go into extra time.
Police officers inside the stadium as the game is delayed due to incidents outside the stadium
Argentine Nicolás González reacts after scoring a goal that was disallowed
The first overtime proved how tough the game was. Bodies fell to the ground with late kicks and lunges and Claus wanted no part of it.
There were plenty of chances, though. Luis Diaz’s shot that went wide midway through the interval was arguably the best effort of the first 15 minutes of extra time.
Fatigue took hold of the Colombian goal in the second 15 minutes and that was exactly what led to Argentina’s goal. A perfectly timed tackle by Rodrigo De Paul was recovered and found by Lautaro Martinez. Martinez played a pass to Giovanni Lo Celso, who passed it back to Martinez. The Colombian broke through the Colombian defence and fired in a perfect shot for 1-0.
A sea of scarves, shirts and Albiceleste flags waved in the Miami night while those dressed in yellow stood motionless in a state of shock.
As the press box shook, the final whistle blew on a night that will live in the memories of Argentine fans for years to come but will serve as a damning indictment of a tournament plagued by problems in the run-up to inviting the entire world in 2026.