FIFA President Infantino heartbroken by Colombia earthquake, pledges solidarity

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has joined the global football community in expressing solidarity with Colombia following a devastating magnitude 7.4 earthquake. The tremor has claimed at least 234 lives, according to provisional figures from authorities in the most affected regions.

Infantino, who had visited Cali just days prior to witness children playing football, shared his heartbreak on Instagram. "Seeing those same streets, and many others in Colombia, shaken by this earthquake, breaks my heart," he wrote. He extended condolences from FIFA and the entire football community to the families of the deceased and those injured or displaced.

The earthquake's epicenter was in the Chocó department, with its most destructive effects concentrated in the Pacific and Coffee Axis regions. The disaster has prompted messages of support from various football figures and clubs. Barcelona star Lamine Yamal and clubs like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Brazil's Chapecoense have all conveyed their sympathy and strength to the Colombian people during this difficult time.