Death threats against Campaz after missed chance eliminates Colombia

Jaminton Campaz has been receiving death threats since Colombia’s elimination by Switzerland in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup. The Colombian midfielder, who had missed a clear chance alone against the Swiss goalkeeper, is being targeted along with his entire family following the penalty shootout defeat (4-3 a.e.t.).

The Colombian Football Federation (FCF) has publicly denounced these acts and called on the country’s justice system to act quickly. “No athlete, nor any member of their entourage, should be subjected to intimidation for having represented their country in a sporting context,” the FCF stated, urging authorities to “accelerate the necessary investigations to identify, prosecute and punish those responsible for these acts”.

The threat is being taken all the more seriously as it recalls a tragic precedent. In 1994, defender Andrés Escobar was murdered in Medellín just days after scoring an own goal against the United States, which led to Colombia’s elimination in the group stage.

On the sporting front, Colombia had delivered a convincing World Cup, establishing themselves as serious outsiders in the second half of the draw. After a regulation time and extra time without goals, the Cafeteros cracked during the penalty shootout. Campaz’s missed chance, alone against the Swiss goalkeeper, remains the pivotal moment of a particularly bitter elimination for Colombian supporters.