Andrés Escobar: 30 years without the ‘gentleman of football’, the memory of a symbol of Atlético Nacional and the Colombian National Team

There are times when the passion for a sport goes far beyond the joy or pain of disappointment. In those moments, violence is the way out for cowards who look for someone to blame for their unhappiness in the performance of athletes. In Colombia, where violence seemed to have become a part of the landscape, sport has acquired a shadow that, to this day, it has not been able to put aside. On July 2, 1994, leaving a bar in Medellín, Andrés Escobar, defender of the Colombian National Team, was murdered and 30 years later his loss is still mourning.

Escobar was a man of honor even in the worst moments. After the failure of the Colombian National Team in the World Cup days before his murder in which he was the protagonist with an unfortunate own goal, he wrote a column for EL TIEMPO in which he stood up and recognized the mistakes of a favorite team for the title:

“We lacked grit, it is a matter of honour to recognise that we did not have the necessary drive”.

The loss of Andrés Escobar

It seemed like an act of bravery to return to Colombia after scoring the own goal that left them out of the World Cup in the United States, knowing the violence that was taking place in the country and how bad Colombians are at accepting defeats. However, as on the field, Escobar was a gentleman and came to the country with the intention of turning the page and continuing to build his career for the future.

That is the image with which we should remember an impeccable athlete like Andrés Escobar, who from a young age knew that his future was on the courts. At the beginning, as a driving force of creation, he began to take the steps on the path that few complete; Then, thanks to a recommendation from Carlos Restrepo, he arrived at his position in the center of defense.

At the age of 18, Nacional bought him where he made his debut in a friendly against the Uruguayan National Team as a left back.

Francisco Maturana He trusted him and made his debut in an official match against Cúcuta Deportivo. However, his position was covered very well at that time by Nolberto Molina who, due to things in life, ended up leaving the team after an argument with the technical assistant and left the way clear for a youthful Escobar, at 20 years old, to join. would gain ownership.

It took him just one year to become a starter in the Colombian national team. The only goal the defender scored with the tricolor shirt was against England, in a draw at Wembley.

The 94 World Cup

The defender was loved in Colombia for being part of the National Team that returned to a World Cup after 28 years in Italia 90, where he was part of the ideal team of the first phase. In Nacional he was an idol: he won the Libertadores and, a year after the World Cup, after his short spell with Parma, he also won the league with the Purslane team.

His career seemed destined for greatness and not even an injury could take him out of his position in the United States in 1994. Colombia arrived at that World Cup as a big favorite with the achievement of a 5-0 against Argentina which remains alive in the memories of every Colombian. Although Andrés was not present at that match, he hoped to become a star in the group stage of the tournament.

Fate could not have been harsher on the defender who until now had won the love of an entire country.

After the first match in which Colombia was defeated 3-1 by Romania, there was still a chance to turn the points around. However, in the second match against the host country, the United States emerged victorious thanks to a failed interception by Andrés Escobar that ended up going into the back of the Colombian net.

Escobar, as always, despite the disappointment, knew how to quickly get up after the brief lament, wanting to continue fighting for the result.

In that column he wrote for EL TIEMPO as soon as he arrived in the country, on June 29 of that year, the footballer asked for respect and thanked him for the experience and, as if it were a request from heaven, he ended up giving a lesson in resilience in eight words. : “See you soon, because life doesn’t end here.”

SERGIO ANDRES GAMBOA MENDIVIELSO

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