Colombian player goes into hiding after costly World Cup miss
Colombian player Jaminton Campaz has reportedly gone into hiding after receiving death threats following his team’s elimination from the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Jaminton received the threats after blazing an open chance over the crossbar in the final six minutes of extra time in the round of 16 game against Switzerland on July 7, with the game ending goalless after 120 minutes.
Switzerland eventually progressed to the quarterfinals with a 4-3 victory in the penalty shootout, ending Colombia’s World Cup campaign.
After the game, the player received massive online backlash and death threats directed at him and his family prompting fears of a repeat the Andres Escobar’s situation.
Jaminton refused to return home with the Colombian squad, and has completely gone off the grid, with his exact whereabouts remaining undisclosed.
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He later posted a statement on Instagram pleading with fans: “no passion justifies hatred or living in fear.”
The Colombian Football Federation released a statement condemning the intimidation, and requested that the attorney general’s office expedite a criminal investigation.
Recall that at the 1994 FIFA World Cup, Colombian defender Andrés Escobar inadvertently scored an own goal during his country’s 2–1 defeat to the United States, a result that knocked Colombia out of the tournament.
Just days after returning home, on July 2, 1994, Escobar was shot and killed in Medellín after a night out with friends. His murder was linked to the fallout from Colombia’s World Cup elimination, making it one of the most heartbreaking chapters in football history.
