A World Cup nation has demanded urgent legal action after one of their star players has gone ‘into hiding’ after receiving death threats following the team’s exit this week. The player in question has refused to fly home with his teammates, with him now issuing a heartbreaking plea to his homeland.

This ordeal comes just 32 years after defender Andres Escobar scored an own goal in Colombia’s defeat to hosts the USA – a result that contributed to the team’s elimination. Just days after returning home, he was shot dead outside of a nightclub in Medellin, marking one of the darkest chapters in football history.

While there is no suggestion that this player faces a similar situation, the decision not to travel home yet underlines the seriousness of the issues at hand, with his federation desperately working with authorities to avoid things escalating any further.

World Cup Nation Demands Legal Action As Player Receives Death Threats

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Colombia’s World Cup campaign came to a heartbreaking end on Tuesday night as they were eliminated on penalties by Switzerland following a 0-0 draw in Vancouver, Canada. But in the final minutes of extra-time, Jaminton Campaz had a golden opportunity to help his nation clinch a winner, with him skying the ball from close range.

According to Argentine outlet Infobae, Campaz – who plays his club football for Rosario Central – did not board his nation’s flight home to Bogota over serious concerns for his safety. His whereabouts are currently unknown, but the decision follows days of sustained harassment on social media. The Colombian Football Federation responded on Friday by issuing a strong statement condemning the threats:

Eloisa Sanchez via Reuters

The statement also went on to urge the country’s Attorney General’s Office to identify those responsible and prosecute them as quickly as possible.

Jaminton Campaz’s Heartbreaking Plea to Colombia

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Campaz has also since took to Instagram to plead for calm – and for his life. “My Colombia, please let us never lose sight of respect,” the 26-year-oldwrote in Spanish on Instagram on Thursday. “We may hold different views or feel frustration and sadness, but no passion justifies hatred or living in fear.

He continued: “Thanks also to my family, who have been my strength at every step and have been by my side during both the happiest and the most difficult moments. To the entire country, I can only say that I share the pain of this elimination. We, too, dreamed of advancing further, and I know the sadness we feel today as Colombians.

“I deeply regret not being able to bring you the joy we all hoped for, but I want you to know that there was never a lack of dedication, commitment, or love for this jersey. I gave everything I had on the pitch, and I would do it a thousand times over for my country.”

Tottenham Hotspur have been offered the chance to sign a big-money striker as they look to bolster their attacking options ahead of next season, according to GIVEMESPORT senior correspondent Ben Jacobs.

Tottenham and ENIC have gone into overdrive in the summer transfer window to ensure Roberto De Zerbi has the squad he needs to lead the club up the Premier League standings, having only confirmed survival on the final day of last season.

Spurs have already brought in half-a-dozen players to transform their defence and central midfield, including breaking their transfer record twice to first sign West Ham United’s Mateus Fernandes, and then Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali.

The north London outfit will surely need to sell some players next for financial reasons as well as reducing the size of the squad, with Cristian Romero, Luka Vuskovic, Guglielmo Vicario and Richarlison among those heavily linked with an exit from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham’s next transfer priority is to boost their frontline, with talk that they want to add a new left-winger and a new centre-forward to De Zerbi’s squad, especially if Richarlison does go.

Eli Junior Kroupi of Bournemouth is a confirmed target, but they have been offered another player.

Tottenham Offered Chance to Sign Kolo Muani

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After an underwhelming season-long loan spell at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Spurs had seemingly decided not to try and sign Randal Kolo Muani on a permanent deal from Paris Saint-Germain.

Instead, the €90m (£77m) forward has been keen to join Juventus with talks underway between the two clubs, but PSG have grown frustrated by the lack of progress over a move.

The Champions League holders have now performed a big U-turn and have opened the door for other European clubs to sign the 27-year-old.

According to Jacobs, speaking on the latest episode of GIVEMESPORT’s Market Madness Podcast, Tottenham are one of the clubs who have been contacted over a move for the France international.

The journalist said: “Now, what’s happening is PSG have moved from giving preference to Kolo Muani’s desired move to opening the door to both English and, I’m told, German suitors as well, because they want to get this deal done, they want to facilitate the sale, and it’s currently not progressing with that move to Juventus.

“So now PSG have to start looking at other options, and that’s where Spurs come in. I’m not aware that Spurs have made a decision on Randal Kolo Muani yet, and if they want to try and do that deal, and the expectation was that he would just go. But it’s PSG driving the possibility to other clubs and offering him back to Tottenham and others to see whether there’s a deal to be had because they’re not making progress at the moment.

“But Kolo Muani has got one preference; he wants to go to Juventus, and we still shouldn’t discount that move.”

Tottenham Have Number One Winger Target

via Reuters

Tottenham are determined to land a new left-winger this summer, but despite links with the likes of Rafael Leao and Cody Gakpo, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Manchester City forward Savinho is their ‘number one, two and three’ target for the position.

Spurs tried to sign the Brazilian last summer and it appears as though their interest in the player is still strong, even though De Zerbi only joined the club a few months ago.

The north London outfit need to offer a number that will convince City to sell, with the former Premier League champions knowing they have money to spend after their £185m outlay on Fernandes and Tonali.

England secured qualification for the semi-final of the 2026 World Cup with a controversial 2-1 victory against Erling Haaland’s Norway.

Thomas Tuchel’s side progress to the next round after another Jude Bellingham brace, with the winning goal coming in extra time. The Real Madrid midfielder had equalised with a left-footed drive in the first-half after the Three Lions fell behind early.

But there has been a lot made about that equaliser. Norway will feel hard done by after claims emerged that the goal could’ve been ruled out. That’s because many believe the ball collided with a spidercam in the build-up, which would mean anything that happened after would be considered irrelevant.

FIFA Explained Why England’s Goal Stood

Omar Aziz via Reuters

Despite many viewers and the Norway goalkeeper being adamant that there was contact between the ball and the camera, the referee and VAR didn’t get involved at all.

That’s because, according to FIFA, the sensor inside the football didn’t detect any contact. A statement released by the governing body said:

Norway’s Manager Reveals Conversation With Referee

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Several members of Norway’s playing and coaching staff immediately appealed to the referee, Clement Turpin. However, manager Stale Solbakken admitted he was not one of them.

Speaking after the defeat, Solbakken revealed the conversation he had with Turpin following the half-time whistle, as they could be seen in discussion on the pitch. He told reporters (per The Guardian):

So, despite the referee simply not seeing the alleged incident, he also wasn’t alerted that it may have been a possibility. However, the Norwegian boss conceded he didn’t have a leg to stand on as FIFA are claiming there was no touch of the camera.

Maintaining the fact he believes the wrong decision was reached, he added: “I can sit here and cry but I don’t want to do that. We have done everything we could – the players have been phenomenal throughout the tournament. OK it was bizarre but it’s part of football and why it is the best sport in the world because things like that can happen. We have to accept it.

“It was unlucky for us. The ball fell straight down from the sky, so it takes this direction. It became a misunderstanding among our players, and it was a bad moment for us. We can’t do anything about that.”