Argentine U17 defender Julio Coria issued a public apology to Colombia following a verbal outburst directed at the Colombian national team after their recent championship loss.
Coria made the inflammatory remarks immediately following Argentina's 4-0 defeat in the Conmebol South American U1t Championship final. The defender used vulgar language to suggest that the two teams would meet again in the World Cup with a different result.
“I know we are going to settle this in the World Cup and we are going to break them, as we always do,” Coria said during the live broadcast, according to biobiochile.cl.
The comments triggered widespread condemnation across South America, including within Argentina. The outlet reported that the backlash was felt by players, fans, and officials alike.
Argentina U17 head coach Diego Placente addressed the situation, acknowledging the player's frustration while noting the need for correction.
“He said what he said and it is wrong, that is why he is going to apologize. Perhaps in a heated moment and after losing a final, one says things that one regrets. He will have to correct that for tomorrow,” Placente said, as reported by biobiochile.cl.
The apology video
Following the backlash, the Argentine national team released a video on social media featuring Coria addressing the Colombian people and the football community.
In the video, Coria specifically named the various groups he intended to reach with his apology. He expressed regret for the language used during the heat of the match.
“I am Julio Coria, a player for the Argentina U17 National Team. I wanted to apologize to the players of Colombia, the coaches, the Colombian National Team, the people of Colombia, Conmebol, and the fans who were there,” Coria stated.
He attributed his behavior to the intense emotions of the tournament. “It was not my intention to use that word, but I was very angry because of football-related matters,” the player added.
Coria concluded his message by acknowledging the performance of his opponents. “They beat us very well, they are a good team. That is all, I apologize to you from the heart,” he said.
The incident occurred as the region prepares for the upcoming U17 World Cup in Qatar for 2027. Seven nations have already secured qualification for the tournament: Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Chile, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
