On June 4, a national scandal erupted when Colombian star soccer player James Rodriguez ignored President Gustavo Petro’s daughter’s request for a photo.
The incident sparked an online debate about political polarization and the need for unity ahead of the runoff presidential election.
But in a series of events, Rodriguez and Antonella Petro made amends just days later, potentially demonstrating the power of football to unite a divided nation.
The incident occurred as the Colombian national team was saying goodbye to their country on a plane to compete in the World Cup, which opens this week.
In addition to selfie photos, official photos of players posing with the president and making lonely expressions also attracted attention.
Considerable outrage ensued on social media, with some Colombian fans accusing certain players on the team of ‘betraying’ their marginalized roots and displaying their conservative ideology by disrespecting the left-wing president. Photos of the players inside the plane were released, sparking particular outrage against X. But others supported Rodriguez in his efforts to stop Petro from stealing the photo shoot for political gain.
After the incident, Petro said this directly to James Rodriguez in a long post on X: “Your political ideas do not distract me from our common goal of winning and becoming the best.”
“We want our national team to win, so my message is this: If we harness the brilliance of individuals who have made a name for themselves, just like we did when we were poor kids in working-class neighborhoods, and take our home-made balls back to the streets, we will win.”
But the incident appeared to calm down this weekend when the president’s daughter, Antonella Petro, shared James Rodriguez’s personal apology to her via Instagram. In the message, Rodriguez said he didn’t hear her ask for a photo and that he would send her a shirt as an apology.
Even though the controversy was resolved, the incident itself and the response to it raised questions about Colombia’s political divisions and how they have permeated all aspects of the culture.
This incident occurred amidst a fierce election battle in Colombia, with far-right outsider Abelardo de la Espriella winning 43.7% of the vote in the first round, and leftist Ivan Cepeda winning 40.9% of the vote. A runoff election to determine Colombia’s next president is scheduled to be held on June 21.
De la Espriella sparked controversy by wearing the national team jersey during the election campaign, prompting a court to temporarily ban the shirt from being used in political campaigns. Critics accuse de la Espriella of weaponizing a national symbol for political purposes, but others say efforts to limit the use of the jersey would be difficult to enforce and mean freedom of expression would be suppressed.
speaking Latin America ReportGabriel Romero, veteran Colombian sports journalist and Confessions of a fanI detailed how this incident was yet another scandal, but one that showed how much politicization had affected all sectors of the country.
Romero said, “This incident is characteristic of our Patria Bova (Foolish Fatherland), a way of seeing things in black and white. James’s attitude was not appropriate. (But) the disproportionate reaction of both sides is the result of political polarization. The clash between the far right and the far left can have serious consequences if there is no moderation on the part of the parties.”
For the reporter, the hoo-hah represents an opportunity for the government to “use the incident to Cepeda’s advantage and once again show the president as the victim.” Romero also sees de la Espriella’s use of the jersey as another example of opportunism: “The government has failed to recognize the impact football has on society. They just exploit it for short-term gain.”
There are also signs that the case has revealed something deeper about the intersection of politics and popular culture in Colombia. Romero pointed to the historical precedent surrounding soccer and how Thursday’s events signal a difference in public sentiment.
“In the past, national teams used to come together. In the ‘yes’ and ‘no’ debates for peace (when the proposal was rejected in the 2016 referendum on the peace agreement between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)), Pekerman’s national team was a balm. Now it is different. The team is no longer the antidote. The extreme polarization has broken down the barriers in football. It is terrible that we argue anymore. James’s team is more important than the serious problems that plague us. “It’s a photo.”
Ultimately, Romero believes there will be more scandals of a political and sporting nature. But he said: “What is clear is that never before has polarization reached the core of the national team.” It is yet to be seen whether the upcoming World Cup will reconcile a deeply polarized nation or further divide it.
Featured image caption: President Gustavo Petro poses with the Colombian national soccer team.
Featured image credit: @PetroGustavo via X.
