Death Threats After Missed Goal... Nightmare of 32 Years Ago Haunts Colombia Again

Colombian Player Who Missed Round of 16 Chance Faces Threats
Tragedy of Andres Escobar's 1994 Murder Resurfaces

A member of the Colombian national soccer team who missed a decisive scoring opportunity at the 2026 North and Central America World Cup has received death threats and is now unable to return home.

On July 11 (Korean time), the Colombian Football Federation issued a statement saying, "We strongly condemn the threats to the life, safety, and honor of Haminton Camppas and his family following the match against Switzerland."

Hamilton Campos of the Colombian national soccer team, who missed a crucial scoring opportunity in the round of 16 match against Switzerland and subsequently received death threats. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

The statement continued, "No player, nor their family or associates, should be threatened simply for representing their country in a match. We express our full solidarity and support for Camppas, his family, and the national team squad." The federation also called on law enforcement authorities to swiftly identify and punish those responsible for the threatening messages.

In the round of 16 match against Switzerland on July 8, Camppas was substituted in during the second half. In extra time, he capitalized on a defensive error and found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but his shot missed the goal by a wide margin. As a result, Colombia lost 3-4 in the penalty shootout and failed to advance to the quarterfinals.

Immediately after the match, Camppas faced a torrent of criticism on his social media accounts, with some even issuing death threats against his family. According to the Associated Press, Camppas was so concerned for his safety that he was unable to board the flight home with the rest of the national team.

Andres Escobar, who died after being shot by an assailant following the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States. YouTube capture

Through social media, Camppas apologized, saying, "I fully understand the depth of sadness felt by Colombians. I am truly sorry for not being able to deliver the joy that everyone hoped for." He also pleaded, "Please never lose the respect we have for one another. No passion can justify hatred or force anyone to live in fear."

This incident has also brought renewed attention to the most tragic event in Colombian soccer history. In the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States, defender Andres Escobar scored an own goal during a group stage match against the U.S., which led to Colombia's elimination. After returning home, he was shot and killed by an assailant in a nightclub parking lot in his hometown of Medellin in July of that year, at the age of 27.

At the time, illegal sports gambling funds from drug cartels were deeply intertwined with Colombian soccer, and it was believed that criminal organizations that lost large sums due to the World Cup elimination were involved in the incident.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.