Tolima Players “Collect” on Coach Álvarez’s Challenge, Take Match Ball After Securing Final Berth
BUCARAMANGA, Colombia – In a bizarre post-match scene following their 0-0 draw with Atlético Bucaramanga on December 4, 2025, Deportes Tolima players celebrated their qualification for the Betplay League grand final by seizing the official match ball. The unusual act was a direct response to a comment made by former Tolima coach Leonel Álvarez three dates prior.
The incident stems from a match between Tolima and Bucaramanga in Ibagué, where Álvarez, despite a draw, stated, “They had the ball more, but that doesn’t tell me anything, they can take it home if they want.” Tolima players apparently took the remark to heart, and upon securing their place in the final with the scoreless draw in Bucaramanga, made good on Álvarez’s offer. The result, combined with other match outcomes, also secured Tolima the advantage of the so-called “invisible point” – an 11-point tiebreaker favoring the Group B leader.
Coach lucas González downplayed the incident when questioned, stating, “They probably didn’t like it, he made the comment defending his team, I don’t give much thought to that.” However, photos circulating on social media show González posing with the ball in the dressing room, suggesting a degree of satisfaction with the playful “settling of accounts.”
The win sends Tolima to the Betplay League final, while Álvarez, now with Bucaramanga, is left to reflect on a challenge unexpectedly claimed by his former team.