It is October 9, 2020. Colombia begins its journey in the World Cup qualifier in Qatar, against Venezuela. Santiago Arias, owner of the right wing since Camilo Zúñiga’s retirement, is part of the starting eleven.
Five minutes go by and nothing strange happens. But at 7:55, in full Venezuelan counterattack, striker Darwin Machís advances with a teammate and they make it two against one against Arias.
The winger, recently loaned from Atlético de Madrid to German Bayer Leverkusen at the time, pushes himself to the maximum and sweeps himself with his left leg. Crack. The ball goes to the corner kick and Santiago Arias grabs his left ankle.
James Rodríguez, team captain, holds his head in his hands and sees the defender writhing on the ground. The paramedics enter to remove the 4 from Colombia on a stretcher. Then the days go by and the diagnosis is confirmed: dislocation of the left ankle, with multiligamentous injury. There begins another story.
2020 ends, May 2021 arrives and Arias has not played in Germany again. He is loaned to Granada in Spain, he makes his debut in September, but in the last game of the year a thigh injury takes him out for another four months. Meanwhile, Colombia is left without the option of going to the World Cup.
Cincinnati, the second chance for Santiago Arias
In August of last year, Arias terminated his contract with Atlético and spent more than six months in the ‘club’ of the most valuable players without a team. In February of this year, in a surprise move, he bets on American soccer and with the colors of FC Cincinnati begins to recover.
Arias plays 21 of the 26 games that today’s undisputed leader in MLS has played, scoring two goals and one assist. Then, he scores a goal in three games in the US Cup. And in full rebirth, last Thursday, came the call to return to the Colombian National Team, 1,056 days after his last appearance.
“God’s time is perfect. Fight for your dreams and always have faith, that everything bad will pass and the good will come”, an excited Arias publishes on networks to wear the National Team shirt again. “You deserve that and more,” Karin Jiménez, his wife, tells him. “You are a phoenix”, “you never left”, “your resurrection has arrived” (…) complement the fans.
Arias, with few words, would answer as he told EL TIEMPO a month ago about the option that is now a reality: “It will be like playing again for the first time.” And his first match would be this Thursday, against Venezuela, at the Metropolitano de Barranquilla; Same rival and same stadium from three years ago. So, Colombia won 3-0. But this time Arias, 31, wants to finish the game on the pitch. It is his wish. It’s his revenge.
Andres Felipe Balaguera
ELTIEMPO editor
@abalagueraa
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