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Before the opening whistle of the match between Colombia and Portugal at the 2026 World Cup this Saturday, both teams paused at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, to observe a moment of silence for the victims of the earthquake in Venezuela, in a gesture that moved thousands of fans in the stands.
The tribute took place this Saturday during the final day of Group K, three days after a double earthquake with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 shook Venezuela on June 24, considered the most powerful recorded in the country since 1900 and the ninth strongest documented in Latin America.
Thousands of Colombian fans filling the stands raised their hands in a show of support during the moment of silence, in a moment that circulated through social media and international sports media.
The FIFA arranged this type of tribute at several group stage matches: France against Norway on June 26, Senegal versus Iraq, and Spain against Uruguay in Guadalajara, where the moment of silence concluded with a unanimous standing ovation from the stadium.
The coach of Portugal, Roberto Martínez, had already expressed his solidarity with a Venezuelan journalist during the press conference prior to the match, while Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates also publicly joined in the gesture of mourning.
The official toll of the disaster, according to the president of the Venezuelan Parliament, Jorge Rodríguez, rose this Saturday to 1,430 deceased and 3,238 injured, while the UN estimated that up to 50,000 people could be missing under the rubble and more than 6.76 million were affected.
The epicenters of the double earthquake were located in the states of Yaracuy and Carabobo, at a depth of only 10 km, which devastatingly amplified the impact on the surface: more than 346 buildings collapsed or were severely damaged, especially in La Guaira and Caracas.
The PNUD estimated the direct damages at 6.7 billion dollars, and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) issued a Red Alert with a 42% probability that the final death toll could range between 10,000 and 100,000 fatalities.
Among the affected, the death of at least four Venezuelan soccer players was confirmed, adding a particularly painful dimension to the gesture made in the stadiums of the World Cup.
After the minute of silence, Colombia defeated Portugal 2-0 and became the leader of Group K with six points. However, the sporting result took a back seat to the magnitude of the tragedy that inspired the tribute.
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