Lionel Messi fan spends $8k to watch the soccer star play for Argentina at Copa America – only for him to be left out of the team

Argentina’s final Copa America group match on Saturday was a dead end. With progression to the knockout stages already secured against Chile earlier in the week, the Albiceleste were cruising.

Yet football fans still paid hundreds, if not thousands, to attend the clash against Peru at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium. Why? Lionel Messi, of course.

The star attraction – and sole justification for the staggering ticket prices – was not in sight, however. The 37-year-old Argentina captain was a spectator, like the thousands who emptied their bank accounts to watch him play, as he was rested after experiencing what he described as “discomfort” in his right adductor muscle.

Messi’s absence cost Argentina nothing, as Lautaro Martinez fired the reigning champions to a 2-0 win over Peru. But it proved extremely costly for many of the nearly 65,000 fans packed into Hard Rock Stadium. For Jas Rai, it was an $8,000 bench seat.

Jas travelled all the way from Canada to watch the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner in action, along with his three children: Ava (16), Texas (12) and Priya (10). He hoped these would be memories to last a lifetime.

Jas Rai (L) and his children Texas, 12, Ava, 16, and Priya, 10, (L-R) spent $4,800 on tickets

However, hopes for memories of that club, including the Argentine legend, were dashed on the eve of the Albiceleste’s final group match.

“I am very disappointed, but when I understand the situation and add it all up, the comparison is logical,” Jas told Mail Sport a few hours before kick-off, referring to Lionel Scaloni’s clear tactical move to rest his star player.

“I’m actually angry at myself for not thinking about it beforehand, because I should have been more strategic. I’m deeply, deeply disappointed.”

Jas revealed that he spent $1,200 per ticket (totaling $4,800) to get the four contestants into what he hoped would be a Messi masterclass.

He calculated that if he added the cost of flights from Toronto and staying at a Marriott about five miles from the stadium, the total would increase even further to about $8,000.

“I definitely wouldn’t have considered paying that much if I knew he wasn’t going to play. I had saved it,” he admitted.

He added that he had considered going to New Jersey, where Messi and Argentina beat Chile in the second leg of Group A earlier in the week, a decision he now regrets, but he did not want his children to miss the last days of school before the summer holidays.

Her youngest, Priya, admitted she was disappointed not to see Argentina’s talisman, but insisted she was still looking forward to the Copa America match, saying it was her first football match.

The family told Mail Sport they had travelled from Canada to see Messi in action

And it likely won’t be her last, as she and her brother Texas, who also play the sport themselves, told Mail Sport the next day that Argentina, even without Messi, had given them a taste of more thanks to goals from Martinez and – ironically for Texas – Leandro Paredes’ missed penalty.

While the youngsters are keen to get back into the stands in the future, that chance may come sooner rather than later for their father. Jas confessed he is considering splashing out money again for the Argentina v Ecuador quarter-final in Houston on July 4 for a final chance to see Messi on the international stage – 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 children,” Jas said.

But Jas wasn’t the only one disappointed. Messi’s appeal is clearly global and with Miami as his second home and Argentine football as his second home, the scene outside the Hard Rock Stadium was proof of that.

Four hours before the game, fans began tailgating outside Hard Rock Stadium, setting up grills and speakers as the delicious smell of Argentine asado and the beats of cumbia filled the sea of ​​blue and white.

The party was already in full swing, but with the majority of Albiceleste players wearing number 10 jerseys, interspersed with black and pink accents – the colours of Messi’s MLS club Inter Miami – there was still a hint of sadness amid the festivities.

Brooks and Stephanie made the “stressful” trip from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with their two children, ages 8 and 9, and two friends from their soccer team, both 10, at 2:30 a.m. Saturday morning to attend the game.

They spent $700 on each of the six tickets. Outside Hard Rock Stadium, the children told Mail Sport they were “sad and disappointed” to hear their idol would not be taking to the field.

Argentine fans began tailgating at Hard Rock Stadium four hours before kick-off

The smell of Argentine asado and cumbia beats wafted through the air outside the grounds

Three of them said Messi was their favourite player in the world, before the youngest came forward and claimed that rival Cristiano Ronaldo had his vote – sparking a small debate – before revealing that this wasn’t the first time they had missed their hero. They said they had previously attended an Inter Miami match, but Messi had again been left out of the team.

Meanwhile, Carlos and his son Martin spent a total of $1,200 on tickets, traveling from Fort Meyers in western Florida to the stadium the morning of the game.

Martin said he was “a little” disappointed by the news, until his father responded with: “Very much so!” With Messi sidelined, Martin’s only wish for the match was “lots of goals.”

However, Fort Meyers was one of the shortest trips fans ever made to see Messi play.

A family of four, with two young girls dressed in Messi’s shirt with the Argentine flag on their cheeks, made the journey all the way from Patagonia.

“He’s going to play in the last minute,” the mother insisted optimistically, remaining hopeful for their efforts.

“We worked hard to be here, so we have to see Messi,” she added, noting that they spent $800 per ticket. “It was expensive, but we did our best to see the best football players in the world.”

She wasn’t the only one who refused to accept the reality of Messi’s benching.

Messi’s absence did not cost the Albiceleste any points as Lautaro Martinez secured a 2-0 win over Peru

Most of the sea of ​​blue and white wore the shirt of the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner

“I don’t trust the reports, he’s going to play! He’s not injured. He’s going to sit on the bench, but if Argentina lose 1-0, he’ll come on,” insisted Ovidio, an elderly Argentine gentleman dressed head to toe in his country’s flag and colors.

He and his wife Lucila are originally from Funes, a small village outside Messi’s birthplace of Rosario, but now live in Naples, Florida, where they watched him play for David Beckham’s Inter Miami.

“We’re from Messi’s city,” Ovidio boasted proudly, before joking: “We’re still neighbours!”

They spent $250 per ticket – one of the cheapest prices heard on Saturday – but admitted they had jumped on the Copa America presale bargains and were left with nosebleeds. ‘We may have to imagine the match,’ Lucila joked, ‘and we still have a good team.’

Valentin and his father Sergio, who had come from the Argentine capital Buenos Aires, agreed with Lucila, stressing that while Messi’s absence was hard to swallow, they were there for the entire Selection.

“We have travelled so far. I cried when I discovered that I would miss Messi. I felt very bad, but we will still enjoy the team,” Valentin said, showing the back of his shirt with the name of Nicolas Tagliafico on it – one of the rare exceptions.

The pair spent $450 each, adding that they bought the tickets during the first week of ticket sales in February and are now happy with them, knowing that others are now paying thousands of dollars for them.

Joaquin, a 10-year-old boy from the Miami area who had received tickets from his father Eddie as a reward for his good grades in school, couldn’t wait to experience the atmosphere.

Valentin, who came from Buenos Aires, wore the shirt of Nicolas Tagliafico (pictured)

“This is my first time going to a football match,” he said enthusiastically. “I watch football matches at home, I’m really excited. I have a bottle of water in case I get too excited and have to pour it over myself to cool down!

‘I support Argentina because Messi is my favorite player. I think he is one of the best. He is really good. I was actually the first in my family to like football after my first day at school and now I have the whole family hooked.’

“I’m fine with it – I just want to see the whole stadium and the game,” he added when asked if he missed his favourite player.

“I shouted to him, ‘Messi is not playing,'” Christian said, referring to his friend Mikey who was standing next to him at the tailgate. “As soon as Argentina won, he said, ‘I guarantee you Messi is not going to play. It’s OK, it’s understandable, but we’re here to have a good time and enjoy some football.’

Messi missed his home game in Miami this time around, but he won’t want to miss his next chance at the Copa America final on July 14.

The closer Argentina and their talisman get to the clash at Hard Rock Stadium, the higher the prices will go. And if demand for Saturday’s group stage match is anything to go by, fans will be willing to pay anything for it.