After 30: the goal got old in the Colombian League, analysis

ANDGoals in the Colombian League are something for adults. Seven of the top ten of the League's scoring table, whose eleventh round begins this Friday, are 30 years old or older.

The table is headed by three players: two 38-year-old veterans (Hugo Rodallega, from Santa Fe, and Dayro Moreno, from Once Caldas), and a 20-year-old young man, Juan José Córdoba, from Deportivo Cali. Each one has six celebrations.

Another veteran has five goals: Carlos Darwin Quintero, from Pereira (36). And on the list of players with four scores there are four other experienced players: Andrés Rentería, from Alianza (30), Byron Garcés, from Envigado (30), Leonardo Castro, from Millonarios (31), and Wilson Morelo, from Jaguares (36). .

It is not a new phenomenon. Only two of the last eight scorers in the championship (in 2021-I there was a triple tie) were under 30: Harold Preciado, playing for Cali, and Diego Herazo, for Equidad.

Gunner's word: the top Colombian scorer in history

Why is this happening? The top Colombian scorer in history, Víctor Aristizábal, says: “These players have the added bonus of experience, of confidence. Young people are barely adapting. There are good attackers who do not yet have that confidence and that is earned with many minutes,” he told EL TIEMPO.

“These players have the added bonus of experience, of confidence. Young people are barely adapting. There are good attackers who do not yet have that confidence and that is earned with many minutes.”

“Medellín, for example, is giving confidence to a boy, Jaime Peralta, 19 years old. But veterans, with so many games ahead of them, have more peace of mind to finish a play,” he added.

Aristizábal highlights what Dayro is doing, who is not only about to reach and surpass Sergio Galván's mark of 224 goals in the local League, but also wants to continue straight and surpass it.

“Dayro has always shown that ambition for the goal. He is a player who always wants to finish plays well and be influential for his team. I think it has a possibility. I think that if he plays one more year, it is enough for me,” said Aristizábal.

Young scorers leave abroad soon

The young Colombian scorer does not last long in the local market. All the current attackers of the National Team left the country very young.

Falcao García left for River Plate at the age of 14, after having debuted in the B with Lanceros de Boyaca. Luis Fernando Muriel left Deportivo Cali at the age of 19 and only 11 games in the
first division, heading to Italy.

There are more recent cases: Jhon Jáder Durán left for the MLS when he turned 18: before that, he played 45 games with Envigado, in which he scored nine goals. Rafael Santos Borré went to Atlético de Madrid at 20, with a League title in his pocket with Cali.

The national team's flagship striker today, Luis Díaz, was bought by Porto at 22, when he had already reached the final of the Copa Sudamericana with Junior.

Thus, the goal remains at the feet of the experienced players who have already experienced their international campaign and now come to contribute. Like Rodallega himself, who went to Mexico at the age of 20 and, after playing in England, Turkey and Brazil, has Santa Fe fighting at the top.

Today, one of the tournament's scorers makes his diagnosis. “Worrying. Before, many young people were seen in the scoring table (…). Those of us who set the tone are the 'oldies'. The young man has a very high ego, it would be good if that could change. “They are not working well on the mental side,” he told El VBar, from Caracol Radio.

The new scorers continue to look for their space. For now, the top of the table is the domain of the seniors.

Jose Orlando Ascencio

Sports Deputy Editor

@josasc

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