Overview
- A short clip from Saturday's presidential send-off showed Antonella Petro approach captain James Rodríguez and was widely shared as a possible snub, triggering strong reactions on social media.
- Antonella posted a video saying she remains an admirer of James and asking Colombians to support the national team without attacks or divisions.
- The Federación Colombiana de Fútbol issued an official statement rejecting harassment of players and urged fans to keep backing the squad as it prepares for the World Cup.
- Hours after Antonella's message, James replied directly offering to send a photo and his jersey and wrote, “La próxima me hablas más fuerte,” a conciliatory note that reduced immediate public pressure.
- Journalists pointed out the exchange happened during a formal stage protocol with multiple greetings, which makes short clips easy to misread and matters because social media framing turned a sporting moment into a political flashpoint that could affect team unity.