After Colombia’s defeat to England on Tuesday, June 3 in penalty shoot-outs, the fans got so upset with the players that they asked the players to not return and even gave them death threats. With this loss, Colombia has now lost the chance to win their maiden World cup. Mateus Uribe and Carlos Bacca missed their penalties due to which England won their first-ever penalty shoot-out in World Cup in nearly 30 years and knocked Colombia out of the tournament while securing their place in the quarterfinals.
In the first-half, none of the team members scored, however, early in the second-half, England took the lead when they were rewarded with a penalty and their top-scorer—Harry Kane—converted that into a goal. But Colombia player Yerry Mina scored a goal in the final moments of the 90-minute match which took the game into extra time and then to the penalty shoot-outs.
After the penalty shoot-outs, Colombian fans started criticising the players who missed their penalties and even gave them death threats on social media. Many asked them not to return to their home country:
Bacca and Uribe should stay in Russia and find a way to get their families out of Colombia. Fuckers
— Wachira. (@Thee_mavERIC) July 3, 2018
Uribe and Bacca shouldn’t be allowed to enter Colombia
— Jordan Tumwesigye (@JTumwesigye) July 3, 2018
Bacca and Uribe can’t go back to Colombia them man have a price on their head now
— Zeaad (@ssjzeaad) July 3, 2018
Before this, threats were also given to Carlos Sanchez, who received a red card in the third minute during their game against Japan. A photo of his was also shared on social media alongside that of Andrés Escobar, a Colombian player who was shot dead after he scored an own goal in a 1994 World Cup match against USA, resulting in Colombia’s exit from the tournament. Even though police are investigating the threat to Sanchez, now Uribe and Bacca are also facing death threats after missing their penalties.
“Kill Carlos Bacca, his wife and two children!” Looks like Pablo aint happy with the PK shoutout! #ByeByeColombia #COLENG pic.twitter.com/SinKkploag
— Siyi (@wiz_rhyno) July 3, 2018
Carlos Bacca about to get murdered tonight
— Daniel (@fire_emoji) July 3, 2018
As if it isn’t bad enough for Colombia losing through a penalty shootout, Bacca and Uribe are getting their heads blown off as soon as they get back to Colombia. #ENGCOL
— Nelly Brolly (@GoOnTheBells) July 3, 2018
Rip to the Carlos Bacca, you’ll probably be assassinated when you go back to Colombia Hahahah #ItsComingHome
— Anthony (@900dollaryd00s) July 3, 2018
When Carlos Bacca lands back in Colombia pic.twitter.com/gfp6w3kFKK
— #TransferSzn (@LukeUnitedd) July 3, 2018
Bacca and Uribe when they go back to Colombia pic.twitter.com/ojY7ynXTch
— Cam (@BFooli) July 3, 2018
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Before Colombia’s match against England, Escobar’s brother, Sachi, feared that another player could be killed if their team loses to England and fail to reach the quarterfinals. He said, “I want to send an important message to those people who think things can be resolved with violence, and with weapons, that they can take someone’s life just because they make a mistake” and ended the statement by saying “at the end of the day, it is just a game”.
(Written by Abhijeet Ghumman)
