Felipe Cardenas

Fans were held outside for more than two hours and kick off was delayed by 82 minutes - this is what happened

The kick-off for the Copa America final was delayed after chaotic and dangerous scenes saw thousands of supporters prevented from entering Hard Rock Stadium in Miami for the game. The showpiece match of the tournament between Argentina and Colombia saw a number of fans detained after authorities said they had attempted to gain entry without tickets before security gates across the venue were closed at around 6pm local time, approximately two hours before the originally scheduled kick-off time. Kick-off was later pushed back to 8.30pm ET before then being delayed again until 9.15pm ET with...

Argentina have a remarkable record in recent years - here are the men who have been central to their success

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni and goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez have come out in defense of Uruguay’s players following the fan violence that took place on Wednesday night in Charlotte, North Carolina. Uruguay fell to Colombia 1-0 in a controversial Copa America semi-final that has become the talk of the tournament. Uruguayan players, including Liverpool’s Darwin Nuñez and Tottenham Hotspur’s Rodrigo Bentancur were among several members of Uruguay’s Copa America delegation who entered the stands and clashed with Colombian fans. Several family members of the Uruguayan team were...

From pariah to superhero, this is how he redeemed himself and could guide his country to glory

The Copa America final between Argentina and Colombia will be officiated by Brazilian referee Raphael Claus. Conmebol, South America’s governing body, made the announcement on Thursday. Claus has been a senior international referee since 2015 and the 44-year-old is widely regarded in South America as one the continent’s top officials. It is not uncommon to see him assigned to some of South America’s top-billed matches at both the club and international level. Claus officiated two group-stage matches at the 2022 Men’s World Cup in Qatar. The first was England versus Iran and the second...

A number of Uruguayan players, including Darwin Nunez, clashed with Colombian fans after the semifinal of Copa America on Wednesday night. Following the game at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina altercations broke out between supporters in the stands with players entering the area where their families — including children — were situated in the stadium. Liverpool forward Nunez was among those caught up in the incident with Ronald Araujo of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid defender Jose Maria Gimenez also pictured nearby. Video footage appeared to show Colombian fans clash...

This team have swept all before them over the past five years and their success eclipses even Argentina's previous World Cup winning teams

Cultural differences are as extreme as the arguments - no wonder refereeing has been in the spotlight at this Copa America

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni would like to see European Championship teams eventually participate in the Copa America and vice versa. Scaloni, 46, was asked on Monday ahead of Argentina’s Copa America semifinal against Canada, which competition, the Copa America or the Euros, is more difficult to win. “I don’t think it’s more difficult from one competition to another,” Scaloni said. “There are some important teams that have advanced to the semifinals of the Euros, teams that we faced in the World Cup and it went well for us. But that doesn’t mean that we could go...

Argentina's No 10 has yet to score at Copa America but has been involved in more build-up play than anyone else

Thiago Almada has completed his MLS-record transfer from Atlanta United to Brazilian side Botafago. The Athletic reported earlier this week that, Atlanta will receive $21million for Almada, with the deal potentially reaching up to $30m if conditions for additional payments are met. The 23-year-old has signed a contract until June 2029 with Botafogo. Almada joined Atlanta from Velez Sarsfield in his native Argentina in 2022 for a reported fee of $16m. He won the MLS Newcomer of the Year award and also became the first player to win the World Cup as an active MLS player later that year. “We...

Argentina captain Lionel Messi says his thigh injury saw him train “with lots of fear” in the build-up to his side’s Copa America game against Ecuador. Messi missed Argentina’s final Copa America group match — the 2-0 win over Peru — having reported pain during their previous game against Chile. But the 37-year-old was fit to start against Ecuador in Texas on Thursday night and played 90 minutes in the 1-1 draw. “The truth is bad,” Messi said when asked how he had been feeling in the days leading up to the Copa America quarterfinal, “with a lot of uncertainty, with lots of...

Emiliano Martinez came to Argentina and Lionel Messi's rescue in a manner only he knows how - they are now into the Copa America semi-final

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni says captain Lionel Messi will be further assessed in training later today to determine his availability for their Copa America quarter-final against Ecuador. Messi, 37, returned to Argentina training with his team-mates on Tuesday despite his fitness remaining uncertain. The Inter Miami star missed Argentina’s final group stage match — a 2-0 victory over Peru on Saturday — due to thigh discomfort reported after the previous game against Chile last Tuesday. Speaking ahead of the Ecuador encounter, although Scaloni remained coy on Messi’s...