He knows how to take the ball away, he knows how to come out from the back and in the Copa América he has also learned to be a goal scorer. Jefferson Lerma scored the goal that sparked hopes of a final, of facing world champion Argentina on Sunday, in search of a title that was last achieved 23 years ago and is now close at hand.
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His role is not to score goals, but he became the surprise factor for Néstor Lorenzo’s team, who found in him, and in the work in the offensive aerial game, an alternative that has been key.
“We are very happy with this great step we have taken. We have suffered and we have fought. There are no words to explain all this. God’s timing is perfect, he had this well in store for us, now we enjoy it, this is one more step towards achieving what we want,” said Lerma in the mixed zone, after the very tough semi-final match.
From Cerrito to Europe and from there, to the Colombian National Team
Lerma left Cerrito, Valle, at the age of 16, heading to Atlético Huila, where he received permission to return to his hometown and finish high school at the Jorge Isaacs school. He then fully joined the Opita club, where he made his professional debut on March 30, 2013, when coach Álvaro de Jesús Gómez put him in the starting lineup in a match against Millonarios. He never left the club again until 2015, when he went to Levante in Spain.
“He is a player who has grown a lot. I have known him since he was a child, when he was at Atlético Huila; he was in Spain and then in England. Lerma is a player who not only gives us balance, but also aerial play. There were good players in his position, but he gradually earned his place and is also doing very well in the Premier League. We gave him a role, he has a good outlet.” said coach Nestor Lorenzo.
James Rodriguez’s magical left foot has made him a top scorer in this Cup, taking advantage of his qualities as a header. Before that, it was not common to see him score goals and, in fact, In his first season with Crystal Palace, he scored just one goal in the Premier League, against Chelsea on 12 February.
Lerma not only recognizes James as a guide on the court, but also as an empowered captain of his position. “He is being a great leader, a very positive one. It fills me with hope to know that we are all committed and enjoying every moment. This training camp has been about unity, familiarity and brotherhood, we are a family and he has known how to guide us,” he said.
In Cerrito, Lerma is a source of pride. A giant screen was installed near his house to watch the semi-final against Uruguay and hours before the game they finished making a mural in which you can see him with the gesture he made when he scored the goal against Paraguay, in Colombia’s debut in the tournament.
In his new role as a goalscorer, Lerma has not forgotten his main role. “We all knew that they (Uruguay) were going to come after us because we had one man less, but this team has shown courage, character and desire for glory. And that is why we have fought, we have withstood all that avalanche,” said Lerma, who now dreams of a title.
Jose Orlando Ascencio
Sports Deputy Editor
@josasc
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