Argentina legacy guaranteed, but CONMEBOL need to repair theirs

Miami, FL – Fairytale endings are usually reserved for animated movies about princesses and a knight in shining armor. Well, this ain’t that. This story is about defeat, self-doubt, resilience, and eventually galvanizing behind a common goal. For Argentina, that goal was ending a 28-year international championship draught, which they did in 2021 by winning the Copa America. They would eventually also win the FIFA World Cup in 2022, and Argentina guaranteed their legacy when they defeated a Colombian team that appeared to be unstoppable in the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 final.

Colombia was on a 28-game unbeaten streak. They were the best team throughout the tournament, and they had the best player (James Rodriguez) in the tournament. Colombia dominated the first half of the match, but everything changed midway through the second half. Argentina’s depth proved to be the deciding factor in the match. After Messi went down with an ankle injury in 63′, Argentina began to control the match. It was almost like losing their leader sent them a wake-up call because it had appeared as if it was only a matter of time before Colombia broke through. That moment never came for Colombia. Instead, in extra time, Argentina made a series of substitutes that would decide the outcome. In 96′, into the match came Lautaro Martinez, Leandro Paredes, and Giovanni Lo Celso. It was those three players that would eventually build the play, Paredes to Lo Celso to Martinez, who was clinical in his game-winning shot in 112′. I’ve never heard a stadium erupt with such fervor.

The win gave Argentina a third-straight international trophy, sandwiching two continental titles with a World Cup, a feat only accomplished once before, by Spain from 2008-2012. La Furia Roja won two Euro Cups with the 2010 World Cup in the middle. It was during this time that Lionel Messi was first beginning to solidify himself as the top player in the World, winning four straight Ballon d’Or awards from 2009-12. Having lived in Spain since a young age, training in FC Barcelona’s La Masia, he had Spanish citizenship. However, he chose to represent his native Argentina instead of joining his many Barca teammates on the Spanish national team. He would’ve undoubtedly helped Spain win three straight trophies instead of struggling for another 10 years.

Argentina, shortly after Spain’s run, began a run of their own, coming in as runner’s up on three straight occasions: the 2014 World Cup, and the 2015, and 2016 Copa America. Coming up short on the world’s biggest stage was enough to conjure up doubt that Argentina’s leaders would ever get it done. Fast forward 10 years, and they’ve just now won three straight international trophies. A young generation of Argentine players came together and played with heart to help their heroes, players like Messi and Angel Di Maria, finally get over that hump. Their legacy as one of history’s greatest teams is guaranteed.

It’s a packed house of mostly people that purchased tix. However, a large amount of fans rushed into the stadium, overpowering security, causing a delay to the match. #CopaAmerica organizers and fans need to do better.
Source: CONMEBOL refused help from the Dolphins & Concacaf. pic.twitter.com/CRL77gKxZB

— Gustavo Chacon (@onaPSIh) July 15, 2024

It’s a shame that their fairytale ending was overshadowed by CONMEBOL’s ineptitude. The 2024 Copa America Final, played in Miami, FL’s Hard Rock Stadium was nothing short of an organizational disaster. CONMEBOL, in order to keep all profits to themselves, refused to allow the Miami Dolphins organization or Concacaf to run point on any aspect of the tournament.

Security was severely understaffed. Fans without a ticket were not supposed to be let into the parking lot, but that policy was not followed. This first level of security should have prevented thousands of unticketed fans from entering the premises. Next, there were zero ticketing checkpoints between the parking lot and the gate entrance to the stadiums. This allowed unticketed fans to gather right in front of the entrance gates.

Some unruly fans decided to attempt to rush through the gates, which overwhelmed the understaffed security team at the gate. The rush forced security and law enforcement to close all the gates until the crowds subsided. They never did. What ended up happening is that people were forced to wait outside in the South Florida heat for over an hour. People became dehydrated, desperate, and angry. This caused the game to be delayed by more than an hour. Eventually, to prevent a catastrophic event, security and law enforcement felt it best to open the gates and let all fans in, regardless of tickets.

¡Portazo en la final!🙃

Lamentables imágenes en lo que debería de ser una fiesta total de la Copa América.

Las autoridades se han visto rebasadas por el número de aficionados que han asistido al #HardRockStadium #FinalDeVerano #LaSensacionDelVerano pic.twitter.com/ZUynVgInzf

— TV Azteca Deportes (@AztecaDeportes) July 15, 2024

Needless to say, once the stadium reached capacity, or well over capacity, they had to stop letting people in. A lot of those people had paid thousands of dollars and traveled hundreds or thousands of miles to watch their national team potentially lift the championship trophy. On top, of that, when fans were allowed to storm into the stadium, they caused thousands of dollars worth of unnecessary damage to the stadium. The whole thing was a black eye for CONMEBOL and for the US which is set to host the World Cup in two years.

Nevertheless, even after all the arrests, the damage, and all the memes on social media, the record books will only remember who lifted the trophy when it was all said and done. Congratulations to Argentina.

Photo | Calvin Hernandez