Colombian midfielder Jaminton Campaz has become the target of death threats after missing a crucial scoring chance in Colombia’s Round of 16 exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with the Colombian Football Federation condemning the threats and demanding a formal investigation.
Colombia’s tournament ended on July 7 in a penalty shootout defeat to Switzerland following a scoreless draw and extra time.
Campaz had one of the best chances to win the game outright in extra time, intercepting a stray pass from Switzerland’s Granit Xhaka but firing his effort off target in the 115th minute.
He later converted his own penalty in the shootout, but Colombia still fell 4-3 as Switzerland advanced.
In the aftermath, Campaz’s social media accounts were flooded with abusive comments and threats, prompting him to limit comments on his accounts and, as a precaution, skip the team’s return flight home with his teammates.
The Colombian Football Federation condemned the threats, stating that no athlete or member of their circle should face intimidation for representing their country.
The federation has also pressed the national attorney general’s office to move quickly in identifying those responsible.
Campaz addressed the backlash directly, writing in Spanish that frustration and sadness are understandable, but that no level of passion justifies hatred or living in fear. The episode has revived painful memories of Colombian football’s darkest chapter.
After Colombia’s elimination from the 1994 World Cup, defender Andrés Escobar was shot and killed in Medellín days after scoring an own goal in a group-stage loss to the United States.
A tragedy widely linked to the country’s gambling-fueled football culture at the time.
More than three decades on, Colombia’s federation is urging fans to ensure sporting heartbreak never again spills into real-world violence.
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