Jaminton Campaz is not going home. The Colombian winger is staying in the United States after he and his family received death threats following Colombia's Round of 16 exit against Switzerland — punishment, in the eyes of some, for a missed scoring opportunity in extra time that could have changed the tie.
Let that land for a second. A professional footballer, representing his country at a World Cup, cannot safely board a flight home because of the reaction to one moment in one match.
The federation steps in
The Colombian Football Federation didn't mince words. Their statement called on the Attorney General's Office to "identify, prosecute, and punish those responsible" — unusually direct language for a footballing body, and a signal of how seriously they're taking this.
Campaz himself responded with more grace than the situation deserved. "Football is also made up of difficult moments," he wrote. "No passion justifies hatred or living in fear." It's the kind of statement a player shouldn't have to make. The fact that he does says everything about the uglier side of football fandom.
His club, Rosario Central in Argentina, now faces a player who understandably has bigger concerns than pre-season preparation. How this affects his mental state — and his form heading into the Argentine season — is a legitimate question. Players have carried far less and still struggled to perform.
A familiar, ugly pattern
This isn't new in Colombian football. The shadow of Andrés Escobar's murder after the 1994 World Cup never fully left the sport there. That was over three decades ago. The fact that players in 2025 are still being threatened over missed chances suggests the lesson was never truly learned — only suppressed until the next tournament exit gave it oxygen again.
Colombia's odds for future tournaments, their ability to attract and keep top domestic talent, and their standing in the global game all take a quiet hit when scenes like this play out. Sponsors notice. Players notice. Scouts notice.
The FCF's statement ends with a call for football to be "a space for unity, respect, and hope." Right now, for Jaminton Campaz, it's a reason he can't go home.
