Canadian hip-hop star Drake has lost a $300,000 (₦465 million) bet he placed on his home country’s soccer team, Canada, to defeat Argentina in the 2024 Copa América semifinal.
The high-stakes bet, which could have netted Drake a hefty $2.88 million if Canada had pulled off the upset against Lionel Messi and the favored Argentine squad, did not pay off. The match ended 2-0 in favor of Argentina, with goals from Julián Álvarez in the 22nd minute and Lionel Messi in the 51st minute.
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Drake shared news of his bet on social media on Tuesday with a playful caption, “This could get Messi,” accompanied by a Canadian flag emoji. Unfortunately for the rapper, the outcome did not go in his favor.
Canada’s journey to the semifinal has been a surprising success story in this year’s tournament. Under the guidance of head coach Jesse Marsch, the team entered the Copa América ranked 11th out of 16 teams based on FIFA rankings. This marks Canada’s debut appearance in the prestigious South American tournament, with the national team aiming for its first major title since the 1990 North American Nations Cup.
The semifinal match was only the second time Canada and Argentina have met in Copa América play, with Argentina also winning their group stage encounter 2-0 on June 20. Historically, the two nations have faced each other just once before, in a 2010 friendly that saw Argentina triumph 5-0.
Argentina’s head coach Lionel Scaloni confirmed that Messi, who recently recovered from a thigh injury, would be playing in the semifinal. The 37-year-old superstar sat out Argentina’s final group game against Peru but returned to play the full 90 minutes in their quarterfinal victory over Ecuador.
Despite the loss, Canada’s performance in the Copa América has been commendable, and their journey to the semifinal will be remembered as a significant achievement in the country’s soccer history.
