Lalas: Copa America final chaos shows U.S. is a soccer nation

This is one way to find a silver lining

Amid the chaotic and disturbing scenes at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday night, Fox analyst Alexi Lalas attempted to find a silver lining.

Fans breached the gates ahead of the Copa América final between Argentina and Colombia, overwhelming security and causing officials to close off access to the stadium.

With thousands of fans stuck outside the stadium in hot and humid conditions, the match was delayed and eventually kicked off 82 minutes late. Argentina would win 1-0 in extra time, clinching its second straight Copa title.

The unruly scenes set off a scramble to assign blame, with Hard Rock Stadium saying that “thousands of fans without tickets attempted to forcibly enter the stadium, putting other fans, security and law enforcement offers at extreme risk.”

But others pointed out that tournament organizers CONMEBOL had to shoulder much of the blame for allowing so many ticketless fans to walk right up to the stadium, rather than implement multiple checkpoints as is common at major matches worldwide.

On Fox’s broadcast of the match, Lalas said both CONMEBOL and the host nation would have to take on some of the blame, but also strangely suggested that the unruly fans who put themselves and others in danger was sort of … good? Or it at least ended any misconception that the U.S. doesn’t care about soccer.

“I understand this is not a good look for CONMEBOL. This is also because it is happening on our watch, in our country, not a good look for the U.S. less than two years out of the World Cup,” the former U.S. men’s national team defender said.

“I have no doubt that FIFA and the United States and Canada and Mexico will sort this out and make sure that this doesn’t happen going forward. But I think it also shows that, don’t let anybody tell you that America is not a soccer nation. Don’t let anybody tell you that the United States does not have an incredible history and doesn’t have fans out there.

“There are millions of soccer fans and they are going to either come from other places here and join the millions that exist or like I said, the ones that are already here.

“I think this shows that there are many home teams when it comes to the U.S. but there is a fervor and there is a passion for this game and for these tournaments that is going to be on display for the next two years, and is going to culminate in what I think is going to be the most important and biggest summer of soccer when it comes to the summer of 2026.”

If anybody ever tells you the U.S isn’t really a soccer nation, just ask them: Would a country that doesn’t care about the sport have fans crawling into a stadium through the air vents?

Checkmate.

Watch Lalas on Copa America final chaos

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