Argentina’s final group game of the Copa America Saturday was dead rubber. With progression to the knockout stages already locked up against Chile earlier in the week, the Albiceleste were cruising.
Yet, soccer fans still forked out hundreds – if not thousands – to attend the clash against Peru at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium. Why? Lionel Messi, of course.
However, the main attraction – and sole justification for jaw-dropping ticket prices – didn’t show. The 37-year-old Argentina captain was a spectator, just like the thousands who emptied their bank accounts to watch him play, as he was rested after feeling what he called ‘discomfort’ in his right adductor.
Messi’s absence didn’t cost Argentina as Lautaro Martinez fired the defending champions to a 2-0 win over Peru. But it did prove extremely costly to many of the almost 65,000 fans inside Hard Rock Stadium. For Jas Rai, it was an $8,000 benching.
Jas traveled all the way from Canada to witness the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner in action with his three children, Ava, 16, Texas, 12, and Priya, 10, to forge what he hoped would be memories to last a lifetime.
Lionel Messi was rested for Argentina’s final Group A game against Peru on Saturday
Jas Rai (left) and his children Texas, 12, Ava, 16, and Priya, 10, (L-R) spent $4,800 on tickets
However, the hope of those memories including the Argentine legend were dashed on the eve of the Albiceleste’s final group game.
‘I’m greatly disappointed but understanding of the situation, putting everything together the equation makes sense,’ Jas told Mail Sport just hours before kickoff, referring to Lionel Scaloni’s clear tactical move to rest his star man.
‘If anything, I’m actually mad at myself for not having thought of it beforehand because I should have been more strategic. I’m gravely, gravely disappointed.’
Jas revealed that he spent $1,200 per ticket – $4,800 total – for the four of them to attend what he had hoped would be a Messi masterclass.
He calculated that once he added the cost of flights from Toronto and accommodation at a Marriott around five miles from the stadium that total skyrocketed further to around $8,000.
‘I absolutely wouldn’t have considered paying that much if I knew he wasn’t going to play. I would have saved it,’ he admitted.
He added that he had considered making the trip to New Jersey where Messi and Argentina beat Chile in the second game of Group A earlier in the week. A decision he’s now left ruing but he didn’t want his children to miss the final days of school before summer vacation began.
His youngest, Priya, confessed that she was disappointed she wouldn’t get to see Argentina’s talisman but insisted she was still excited to attend the Copa America clash, revealing that it was her first soccer game.
And it’s likely not to be her last as she and her brother Texas, who both play the sport themselves, told Mail Sport the following day that even Messi-less, Argentina had given them a taste for more thanks to Martinez’s goalscoring prowess and – ironically for Texas – Leandro Paredes’s missed penalty.
While the youngsters are keen to take to the stands again sometime in the future, that opportunity may come sooner than later for their dad. Jas confessed that he’s weighing up splashing out again for Argentina’s quarterfinal game against Ecuador in Houston on July 4 for another last-gasp chance to see Messi on the international stage – for perhaps one of the last times.
‘As a child I wanted to do things – I did some but not much – but now I have the opportunity, especially with my kids,’ Jas said.
But Jas wasn’t the only one left disappointed. Messi’s pull is obviously global and with Miami his and Argentinian soccer’s second home, the scene outside Hard Rock Stadium was testament to that.
Fans began tailgating outside the Hard Rock Stadium four hours before the game kicked off, setting up grills and speakers with the mouthwatering smells of Argentinian asado and beats of cumbia wafting through the sea of blue and white.
The party was already in full swing but with the majority of that Albiceleste decorated with No. 10 jerseys interspersed with splashes of black and pink – the colors of Messi’s MLS club Inter Miami – a dash of heartbreak was palpable amid the festivities.
Brooks and Stephanie made the ‘stressful’ journey from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with their two children, 8 and 9, and two of their friends from their soccer team, both 10, at 2:30am Saturday to attend the game.
They spent $700 for each of the six tickets with the kids telling Mail Sport outside Hard Rock Stadium that they were ‘sad and disappointed’ to hear their idol wouldn’t be taking to the pitch.
Argentina fans began tailgating at the Hard Rock Stadium four hours before kickoff
The smell of Argentine asado and beats of cumbia wafted through the air outside the ground
Three of them said that Messi was their favorite player in the world before the youngest piped up claiming that rival Cristiano Ronaldo had his vote – sparking a minor debate – before they revealed that this wasn’t the first time they’d missed out on seeing their hero. They said that they’d attended an Inter Miami game before only for Messi to be left out of the team once again.
Meanwhile, Carlos and his son Martin spent $1,200 total for their tickets, traveling from Fort Meyers on the Western side of Florida on the morning of the game.
Martin said he had been left ‘a little’ disappointed at the news, before his dad chimed in, ‘A lot!’ With Messi sidelined, Martin’s one wish from the game was ‘lots of goals.’
However, Fort Meyers was one of the shortest journeys fans had made to see Messi play.
A family of four, with two young girls dressed in Messi’s jersey with the Argentinian flag painted on their cheeks, made the trip all the way from Patagonia.
‘He’s going to play in the last minute,’ the mother optimistically insisted, clinging on to hope for the sake of their efforts.
‘We put in a lot of work to be here so we need to see Messi,’ she added, revealing that they spent $800 per ticket, ‘It was expensive but it’s an effort that we did to see the best in the world.’
She wasn’t the only one refusing to accept the reality of Messi’s benching.
Messi’s absence didn’t cost the Albiceleste as Lautaro Martinez clinched a 2-0 win over Peru
The majority of the sea of blue and white donned the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner’s jersey
‘I don’t trust the reports, he’s going to play! He’s not hurt. He’s going to be on the bench but if Argentina is losing 1-0, he’s going to come on,’ Ovidio, an elderly Argentinian gentleman dressed head to toe in his nation’s flag and colors, insisted.
He and his wife, Lucila, are originally from Funes, a small village outside of Messi’s native Rosario but now reside in Naples, Florida, having seen him play for David Beckham’s Inter Miami.
‘We’re from Messi’s town,’ Ovidio proudly boasted, before quipping, ‘We’re still neighbors!’
They spent $250 per ticket – one of the cheapest prices heard Saturday – but admitted they pounced on the bargain in the Copa America presale and were seated in the nosebleeds. ‘We might need to imagine the game,’ Lucila joked, ‘And we still have a good team.’
Valentin and his father Sergio, who traveled from the Argentinian capital Buenos Aires, echoed Lucila’s sentiment, insisting that while Messi’s absence was hard to swallow, they were their for the entire Seleccion.
‘We traveled so far. I cried when I discovered I would miss Messi. I felt very bad but we will still enjoy the team,’ Valentin said, showing the back of his jersey displaying, Nicolas Tagliafico’s name – one of the rare exceptions.
The pair spent $450 each, adding that they bought them during the first week of ticket sales back in February and are now glad they did as they’re aware of the thousands of dollars others are now forking out.
Joaquin, a 10-year-old from the Miami area who was gifted tickets from his dad Eddie as a reward for his good school grades, was just as equally excited to soak up the atmosphere.
‘This is my first time at a soccer game,’ he enthused. ‘I watch soccer games at my house, I’m really excited. I’ve got a bottle of water just in case I get too excited and need to pour it over me to cool down!
‘I’m supporting Argentina because Messi is my favorite player. I think he’s one of the best. He’s really good. I was actually the first one in my family to start to like soccer after my first day of school and now I’ve got the whole family hooked.’
‘I’m okay with it – I just want to see the whole stadium and game,’ he added when asked about missing his favorite player.
‘I called him, “Messi’s not playing”,’ Christian said, referring to his friend Mikey stood next to him at the tailgate. ‘As soon as Argentina won, he said I guarantee you Messi’s not going to play. It’s okay, it’s understandable, but we’re here to have a good time and enjoy some soccer.’
Messi may have missed his Miami homecoming this time but he won’t intend on missing out on the next chance when the Copa America returns for the final on July 14.
The closer Argentina and their talisman inch towards the showdown at Hard Rock Stadium, the higher and higher prices will rocket and, if the demand for Saturday’s mere group-stage game is anything to go by, fans will pay whatever it takes.