It’s Latin America’s golden ticket and the hunt is on to watch the Copa America final at the Estadio Nacional in Chile’s capital Santiago.
Not since Chile reached the semifinals of their own World Cup in 1962 has there been such a clamour to gain entry to a sporting event.
So much so that tickets are going for as much as $25,000 on website ticketbis.net — 625 times the original price — though on Viagogo.com the most expensive ticket was $6,000.
Chile is looking to win its first ever international trophy in 99 years, while Argentina wants to put an end to its own 23-year Copa America drought and draw level with Uruguay as the most successful team in the tournament’s history.
Chile has only beaten Argentina once in a competitive match in its history — during qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in Santiago — and it has lost the two matches they have played since.
Amid the scramble for tickets, Chile defender Gary Medel has offered one of his 794,000 Twitter followers the chance to win two of them to Saturday’s final.
He has asked them to upload a message of support with the hashtag #ChileTeQuieroVer (Chile I want to watch you) and the most original will be chosen as the winner.
There is a huge sense of anticipation in Chile and a genuine belief this outstandingly talented crop of players can finally lead the country to success.
However, amidst the excitement, there is plenty of nervousness, notably over the defense’s fragility, and in particular Pepe Rojas’ form.
The man chosen to replace the suspended Gonzalo Jara — banned after putting his fingers into Uruguay striker Edison Cavan’s backside — Rojas has been the butt of many jokes after his semifinal performance against Peru.
Newspaper Las Ultimas Noticias mocked Rojas on its front cover with the headline: “Pepe Rojas… arriving late to his own memes,” while a separate image of an astronaut on a moon was captioned: “I run faster than Pepe Rojas.”
In turn, the newspaper’s Twitter account was bombarded with a barrage of criticism from angry members of the Chilean public and Las Ultimas Noticia was forced to defend itself, claiming they hadn’t created the memes.
Several of Chile’s highest profile footballers also rebuked the publication.
“All front pages like Las Ultimas Noticias do is make children scared of making mistakes,” tweeted captain and Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo and Chile captain.
“Jokes are one thing and it’s another thing for newspapers to mock. Typically Chilean.”
“You need to only move forward, without looking behind at the mediocre people that criticize from a desk. Stay strong Pepe!!!” said Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal.
“Incredible that some media are dedicated to making fun. Vamos Pepe Rojas come on Chile. Today united more than ever,” wrote Medel in support of Rojas.
“Unfortunately we live in a country full of hatred, envy and malice, let’s open our hearts and be better people please,” pleaded Hamburg midfielder Marcelo Diaz.
Chile’s population has been agog at the national’s team progression to the final, both on and off the pitch, most notably when Vidal drunkenly crashed his Ferrari during the group stage.
Argentina, on the other hand, has had no real controversy leading into the final, with the main talking point being Lionel Messi’s solitary goal in the tournament.
However, Messi’s mesmerizing semifinal performance in the 6-1 thrashing of Paraguay was the perfect riposte to his critics.
“To win the Copa would round of something spectacular,” Messi said after the demolition of Paraguay.
“I have a desire to win something with the national team so much. We are very excited about the possibility of being champions.
“We completed the first objective which was to be in another final. It will be a very even game.”
The media has been keen to build the final as a battle, given the historical political tensions between the two countries, but Javier Mascherano was quick to downplay the hype.
“We are going to play a final, not a war,” he said after the Paraguay match. “Our countries are brothers.
“I don’t see a clear favorite for the final. Argentina is amongst the top places in the FIFA rankings and we want to crown it by winning something.”