Yerry Mina’s infamous dance fractured his relationship with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez

Originally posted on Football Espana | By Alan Feehely | Last updated 10/5/21

Colombia eliminated Uruguay in the quarter-finals of the Copa America back in July, winning a penalty shoot-out after the match ended in a scoreless draw. Colombia won the shoot-out 4-2, with Yerry Mina breaking into dance in celebration. It was a gesture that, according to Marca, didn’t go down too well in the Uruguayan dressing room, especially with Luis Suarez.

Yerry Mina scored a penalty in Columbia’s 4-2 penalty shootout win over Uruguay and celebrated like only Yerry can. #EFC #COL #CopaAmerica pic.twitter.com/nzoRYDElfy

— Bluekipper.com (@bluekippercom) July 4, 2021

It was Lionel Messi, Suarez’s great friend, that extracted revenge, however. Colombia faced his Argentina in the semi-final and the game once again went to penalties. Mina missed his this time, and Messi reacted by yelling at him. “Dance now, dance now, Mina,” he was filmed saying to his former Barcelona teammate.

Suarez then got involved, replying to Messi’s Instagram post commemorating the victory by saying that now the Colombians can dance all they like. Mina, for his part, tried to calm tensions when asked about it a little while later. He maintained that he was still friends with both Messi and Suarez, and that things like that happen in football sometimes.

"Bailar ahora," Messi tells Yerry Mina. "Dance now," referring to Mina's antics during the penalty shootout with Uruguay during the week. I long for the day Everton have serious footballers leading their team rather than loveable, injury-prone jokers. I doubt it'll come soon. https://t.co/zT1PZxD6mf

— Alan Feehely (@azulfeehely) July 7, 2021

Now, the Everton centre-back is set to cross paths with Suarez again, in a direct battle between defender and centre-forward. They’ll face off in a crucial World Cup qualifier this Thursday evening between Colombia and Uruguay in Montevideo. Uruguay are in third at the time of writing, two points clear of fifth-placed Colombia. Brazil, Argentina and Ecuador are first, second and fourth respectively, Brazil streets ahead in front.

This article first appeared on Football Espana and was syndicated with permission.

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