Hard Rock Stadium was filled with exhilarating energy as the highly anticipated Copa America final game was under way. Players of the two powerhouse nations, Colombia and Argentina, prepared for the game of their lives, as this final would determine who the best nation in the American continent would be. Playing under the lights and with immense pressure, both nations had their countries’ pride on the line.
Starting in 1916 as the American Football Championship, the Copa America tournament is the oldest running football tournament in the world and has been contested 47 times. Taking place every four years and hosted by a nation in the American continent, this year’s tournament was held in the United States, with the final taking place in Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium on July 14.
Following an undefeated record in the Copa America up to this point, no team had been a hard challenge for this year’s World Cup champions. After a 2 to 0 win against Canada in the semi-finals, it seemed no team would be able to break Argentina’s winning streak. With all eyes on them, the team and their supporters came into the game with high expectations.
On the other side, Colombia’s “Cafeteros” had been playing at their best level yet. After beating their nation’s all time winning streak of 27 games, the Colombians felt their team would come on top. With their defeat of the renowned nation of Uruguay in the semi-final, it seemed Colombia would have a high chance of winning the cup. Much like the Argentinians, the Colombian fans came into the final ready to support their nation.
The game was scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, with people coming from all over the world to witness the game. The two nations and football fans would quickly turn their passion from euphoric to erratic, as thousands of fans came rushing into the stadium to try and break in illegally. People without tickets forced their way in by rushing the gates, climbing the walls and jumping the turnstiles.
“When I saw it on the news I thought it was a joke but then I realized it was really happening and I felt really bad for the people,” sophomore Andres Kardijan said.
Police and security were left with no choice but to open all the gates to avoid stampedes and any fatal casualties, as officers tried to catch ticketless viewers from entering the stadium. The stadium soon enough became so overcrowded that police were then forced to close all the gates. Consequently, numerous attendees were left without an opportunity to enter the game despite paying for their own tickets.
“I think it was very unfair for the people that bought tickets for the final. I think the people who couldn’t get in deserve a refund,” sophomore Erik Hjelm said.
The game was finally able to start at around 9:22 p.m., 82 minutes after the kickoff was scheduled. Many fans who had spent thousands of dollars on their tickets were left devastated and were unable to enjoy the event. The first half was steady, with goal-scoring opportunities on both sides, but after 45 minutes, the game remained 0 to 0.
After the first half ended, it was time for the halftime show to begin, this year being the first time in Copa America’s history with a halftime performance. This new addition was met with mixed reviews prior to the final, as non-American fans were not accustomed to the presence of a halftime show in major sports finals. The Colombian artist, Shakira, performed several of her hit songs for the crowd, prolonging the halftime period.
“I think it was a good addition to the game, [because] it made it more entertaining. She definitely ended the controversy by giving a show that will go down in the history books,” sophomore Alessandro Vendrame said.
The second half began and the game was still tied. It was not until the 64th minute that Argentina’s football star Lionel Messi got injured with a non-contact injury while running on the pitch and had to leave the game. Argentinian fans were left devastated, and all hopes of winning the cup seemed to disappear. Nicolás González, who had recently come into the game as Argentina’s forward and number 15, as well as the rest of his team knew they had to dedicate this win to their captain.
After the 90 minutes had passed, the game was still tied and it was up to extra time. Extra time was divided into two 15-minute periods. The first period was thrilling with good efforts from both teams, and remained tight but no team had found a way to score yet. It was in the second period of extra time that Argentinian striker Lautaro Martinez scored, leaving the Argentinians in an uproar and the Colombians to feel like they had lost it all.
“I thought that it was a very close game and it was really sad to see Colombia lose, but I think everyone is happy they made it that far,” sophomore Esteban Biurrarena said.
Attempting to tie the game with the eight minutes remaining, Argentina ultimately came out on top and claimed the title of champions of America. Both teams exited the field knowing they had given everything, while fans left with memories of a night that would be remembered in football history for both the triumphs and challenges.
