Chaos at Copa America mars Argentina's title win; Spain dispatch England as a new generation wins Euro 2024

Hello! There are new champions in Europe and South America, some making their way to the podium in more chaotic scenarios than others. I'm Pardeep Cattry with a look back of this weekend's biggest games, including a recap on the chaos at Hard Rock Stadium at of the Copa America final.

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Tuesday, July 16
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⚽ The Forward Line

⚠️ Security issues mar Copa America final

The kickoff of the Copa America final was delayed by more than an hour on Sunday as security failed to cope with thousands of ticketless fans who tried to enter Hard Rock Stadium to see Argentina beat Colombia.

Shortly after gates were scheduled to open at 6 p.m. local time, videos emerged on social media showing fans running through the entry points and evading staff who were on site to check tickets. The gates were then closed to prevent other ticketless fans from entering the stadium, but that instead created a security issue outside as thousands of fans were stuck and packed in tight quarters on a hot and humid day in Miami Gardens. CBS Sports Golazo Network's Jenny Chiu was on the scene, documenting a perfect storm of events as the combination of ticketless fans and a lack of security staff created unsafe conditions.

• Chiu: "There was a rushing in of fans when they opened the gate and because of that, they closed all the gates and were not opening them at all. They do not have the infrastructure for this. They don't have raid gear. They don't have the security that they need and it's very evident."

Players began warm-ups as scheduled around 7:15 p.m. but were soon yanked off the pitch by security as the stadium was placed under lockdown and the kickoff time was first delayed by a half-hour. Only after the lockdown was lifted did gates properly open, but stadium staff were letting people in without checking their tickets. By the time the game actually kicked off after 9:15 p.m., ticketless fans were standing in the staircases by stadium seating, blocking emergency exits and some had reportedly made their way to the VIP areas. Others continued to make their way into the stadium in unconventional ways, including climbing into the air conditioning vents.

Stadium staff only began to check tickets and kick fans out of the stadium after kickoff, but it is unclear if everyone actually left the building and how many people sought medical attention in relation to the incident.

The security concerns undoubtedly soured the mood at the final, which Argentina won 1-0 courtesy of a goal from Lautaro Martinez in extra time. Players' loved ones were stuck in the chaos outside the stadium, with Argentina's Alexis Mac Allister being one of several players who left the locker room to find his family and ensure they made it inside the stadium safely. Mac Allister's mother described the situation as "inhumane," while Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni said it created a "weird" atmosphere for the teams.

• Scaloni: "It is tough to explain what happened before the game. We had players waiting for family members to get into the stadium, and we had to start a match without knowing where their family members were. It was very weird."

It marked an unfortunate end to a tournament that has sadly been full of organizational nightmares, for which much of the responsibility falls on South American soccer's governing body, CONMEBOL.

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🇪🇸 Spain make history at the Euros

Twelve years after they last won the Euros, a new generation of Spain players lifted the trophy on Sunday in a 2-1 win over England that feels like a sign of intent with the countdown to the 2026 World Cup officially underway.

A scoreless first half gave way for an entertaining second half, with Nico Williams scoring just two minutes after the break following a stellar pass from the tournament's breakout star, 17-year-old Lamine Yamal. England found their equalizer in the 73rd minute when Cole Palmer scored just three minutes after coming on, but Mikel Oyarzabal scored the game-winning goal in the 86th minute. Dani Olmo also came up with an impressive goal line clearance in stoppage time to keep England at bay.

It's an impressive return to the top for Spain, who are now amongst the oddsmakers' favorites to lift the 2026 World Cup with less than two years to go. As Jonathan Johnson writes, La Roja's youth means this group likely has many more years together and has the potential to build yet another dynasty .

• Johnson: "With the exception of [Alvaro] Morata and Dani Carvajal, no player in La Roja's starting XI was above the age of 30 with Aymeric Laporte the only one exactly on three decades. … There will be questions to answer such as who could replace or at least compete with Carvajal given that it will not be the veteran Jesus Navas. Also, there is the topic of whether or not this was Morata's final international tournament at the age of 31 while Nacho will also surely be moving on which potentially frees up another squad berth. Even so, this Spain side can look towards 2026 in the U.S. and beyond to its title defense in 2028 knowing that the likes of key men Robin Le Normand and Fabian Ruiz could still be around."

As for England, the defeat marked a disappointing end to a fairly unimpressive tournament in which they failed to excite despite the immense talent on the roster. The failure to win a trophy yet again means there is now plenty of speculation about Gareth Southgate's future in the job -- though the FA are expected to offer him an extension, it is unclear if he will actually stay put. James Benge notes that Southgate's tenure has undoubtedly been a success so far, taking a country that loathed its men's national team into one that feels very optimistic about the team's prospects. He writes, though, that things feel stagnant and it might be time for a pair of fresh eyes .

• Benge: "Basic tactical issues dogged this team from the outset, exacerbated by the original sin of taking only one left back in a squad of 26, Luke Shaw not deemed ready to start until the final. Too many players were coming to the ball in central positions, the left flank in particular a dead zone when England reached the final third. Time and time again this team got the breaks of a potential winner, from the game-saving brilliance of Bellingham and Saka to the curious concentration of every other serious contender on the other side of the bracket. They never particularly looked like they had the nous to exploit them. They did not press as a unit. They did not control possession -- when in the lead they averaged less than 40 percent of the ball. For eight years Southgate has insisted that he does not instruct his team to drop off when a goal up. They still do."

Southgate's contract expires at the end of the year and several high-profile managers, including Eddie Howe and Graham Potter, have been linked to the job.

🔗  Top Stories

🇦🇷 Messi injury: Lionel Messi left the Copa America final in tears after appearing to injure his ankle in what could have been his final match at a major tournament with Argentina.

🏆 Copa America rewind: Here's more from Jenny Chiu on the security issues at Hard Rock Stadium , plus a look at why Argentina won and reflections on an impressive tournament from Colombia .

🇪🇸 Spain's triumph: The Morning Footy crew breaks down Spain's excellence at the Euros , which came despite Rodri exiting the final at halftime with an injury . Plus, four Spain players cracked Francesco Porzio's team of the tournament .

🇺🇸 USWNT's Olympics prep: The USWNT beat Mexico on Saturday as e fforts to improve the attack continue , while Lynn Williams replaced the injured Catarina Macario on the Olympics roster .

❓ USMNT coaching search: Spain's Euro-winning manager, Luis de la Fuente, reportedly threw his hat in the ring to coach the U.S., though it is likely just a tactic to secure a better payday from his current employers . Jesse Marsch, meanwhile, said he has no interest in the job "unless there's a big shift at the organization."

🔴 Zirkzee to United: Manchester United signed forward Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna, but the transfer might not be as promising as it looks upon first glance .

💰  The Back Line

💵 Best bets

• 2026 World Cup: champions
  💰 THE PICK: Spain to win the World Cup (+550) -- This summer's Euros and Copa America served as a check-in for several national teams as they prepare for the 2026 world Cup, with few sides leaving as big a mark as Spain did this summer. They now have the same odds as France and Brazil to win the whole thing in two years' time and will no doubt be one of the teams to keep an eye on as the countdown to 2026 begins. There's a lot of time left on the clock, though, and a few more impressive teams that could contend for the title -- England sit at +650 after their run to the Euro final, while Argentina and Germany each sit at +900.
  

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