The support for Chapecoense →
The world football community is showing overwhelming support for those killed in the the tragic plane crash in Columbia. The crash claimed the lives of 71 people, including players and staff from Brazilian club Chapecoense and reports from FOX News.
Zito Madu from SB Nation:
Chapecoense was a team from the small industrial city of Chapeco in Southern Brazil, inhabited by 210,000 people; they were headed to Colombia to play against Atlético Nacional in the Copa Sudamericana final. They had beaten well-renowned teams like Independiente and San Lorenzo on their journey. They made the quarterfinals in the previous season, which then was considered a surprise, and this year was to be their Cinderella story.
Instead of competing for the Copa Sudemericana trophy, Nacional asked that it be rewarded to Chapecoense.
Atletico Mineiro was set to play Chapecoense in the final game of the year for the Brazilian league, but it instead decided to forfeit it’s the match. Instead, thousands crowded the stadium in honor of the lives lost in the crash:
Atlético Nacional fans inside and outside their stadium paying tribute to Chapecoense players. RIP #ForçaChape pic.twitter.com/l7GjR1vQ06
— Leo Messi (@messi10stats) December 1, 2016
Brazilian and Argentine clubs have offered to loan players to Chapecoense—free of charge—while there are reports that legendary players Ronaldinho and Riquelme have offered to come out of retirement and play for the team.
11 surviving members of Chapecoense walk hand-in-hand at last night’s vigil #ForçaChape (🎥 @donriddellCNN) pic.twitter.com/hd8s9UlS7r
— Bleacher Report UK (@br_uk) December 1, 2016
EA Sports paid tribute to the team via it’s FIFA 17 video game. Every player on the game’s Ultimate Team mode were given the kits and badge for Chapecoense, asking players to show support.