MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Roberto Martínez bought his family tickets for Saturday's World Cup group stage match between Colombia and Portugal several months ago. He knew it was going to be tough game to get into, so he didn't wait.
How tough a ticket? Well, Martínez had one of the easier paths to the game. He coaches Portugal.
Of course, no one else was that lucky.
The stories at Miami Stadium from fans entering the match were fascinating. Most of the 64,000
or so people coming in spent $1,000 or more, per seat, just to say they were there for what might be one of Cristiano Ronaldo's final World Cup matches.
“I think it’s fascinating, the passion of the game in a difficult moment in the world,” Martínez said. “Football still brings unity, it brings passion, it brings inspiration for the kids, all the values that you want to see in a human being. It makes me extremely proud.”
Not everyone shared that opinion. Colombia fans were rooting for Colombia, Portugal fans were rooting for Portugal, and that would be expected.
And considering what they paid — a game like this was worth it, many said — they more than earned the right to cheer as lustily as they wanted.
Colombia natives and brothers Juan and Felipe Ramirez made the trip from Europe to Miami for just a few days, spending $2,400 on each ticket.
“We put it down," Juan Ramirez said, “because this is a once in a lifetime experience.”
Since the draw made clear that this matchup would happen, Colombia vs. Portugal has held a level of anticipation that is largely unusual for group-stage matches — certainly one of the most anticipated in this tournament. FIFA said tickets for this match were among the most sought during the pre-event purchasing process.
And since demand couldn't possibly match supply, prices soared. The lowest get-in prices hovered around $3,500 early Saturday, with prices ranging from $2,676 to $22,084 on StubHub on Friday.
Gustova Borda, a lifelong Colombia fan, described how meaningful it is for him and his wife to see their team back in Miami, a city that holds special meaning for the couple.
“This is a very important city for us. She was treated for breast cancer here about two years ago,” Borda said about their return to the city.
His wife, who declined to offer specifics about her health, was in a Colombia jersey — as were thousands of others in the stadium.
Their price to get in?
“We spent $8,300 for both of our tickets," Borda said, “and I think it was totally worth it.”
Other fans said they saved for months to ensure they could attend this game. Colombia fan Gina Barrios spent $1,500 apiece for her tickets — and thought that was a bargain.
“I bought it through a family friend, but I know they were going for a lot higher," Barrios said. "This is my country ... so I was very excited to see them here again.”
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Gracie Fisher is a student in the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports Media Institute.
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See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here.
