“We put our heads through the holes. The flag says ‘Colombia Mundial 2026’.”
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The scale of Colombian support has impacted opposing teams throughout the competition.
Before their match in Miami, Portugal manager Roberto Martínez noted the significant challenge of controlling emotions while playing in an environment heavily dominated by Colombian spectators.
Former Colombia coach and current Ghana manager Carlos Queiroz also expressed surprise at the atmosphere inside the stadium during the knockout round.
“Colombia have [good] players, passion and incredible fans,” said Queiroz. “They started to win the game after the anthem.
They were stronger with 60,000 people on their side and it affects an inexperienced team.
I felt some of my Ghana players were not calm because Colombia’s 12th man did a very good job.”
The team shirt also sparked political debate domestically during the presidential elections, where right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella and left-wing rival Iván Cepeda clashed over its symbolic use in political campaigns.
Despite domestic debates, the national football team remains a powerful unifying element for citizens as they prepare for the upcoming match at Vancouver Stadium.
“The players are the ones who want it most. Us, as fans, we’re watching it from afar with great anticipation, support and yearning,” says Mila.
“They’ll go out on to the pitch to give their all. They don’t want to lose the ball or lose the game.
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That’s contagious.”
