Santiago Arias, ready: the full-back’s time has come, once again, with the Colombian National Team, in the Copa America final

When Santiago Arias He saw the referee raise his arm and show Daniel Muñoz a red card in the Colombia-Uruguay match, he jumped up and started to warm up. Néstor Lorenzo hadn’t called him yet, but he was already mentally preparing himself, it was his turn, his hour, his position. The coach’s call was not long in coming, Arias, onto the field! And Arias, the one who waited patiently, went onto the field convinced that he would do well. Tomorrow, for the most important match, the final against Argentina, it will be his turn, most likely, to occupy the right wing, occupy it and play as if there were two, for him and for the absence of Muñoz.

Santiago Arias’ time

Thank goodness Arias is not a rookie, he is not an apprentice, he is not the player to be used by default. No, Santiago Arias, at 32 years old, is a guy who has seen many battles, many comings and goings on that right flank, he knows it like his home, he knows it, he comes and goes with the experience of the years and the fields; he is aware that Muñoz was in exceptional form, but he is capable of making that absence go unnoticed. When he had to come on against Uruguay and play 45 minutes, he was cold, but he did not look out of place.

“This time it was my turn, it is not easy to enter a match with such a high tempo, but we got the victory and we are happy… With experience and a lot of games it is not easy to enter without playing rhythm, but when I enter, for my country I will give everything,” he said.

Santiago is more than ready, and is the natural replacement for Muñoz, unless Lorenzo has another plan. Santiago can easily be called one of the old guard players of the National Team, he is already an experienced player. His history with the national team began back in 2011, when he and James played in the U-20 World Cup.

Arias made his way up the ladder until he joined the senior team in 2013 and slowly earned his place. He was in the World Cup in Brazil and in Russia. He has not scored any goals, he is not a goal-scoring full-back, his thing is more about sacrifice, going back and forth.

Arias went through torment and is back

It has been a stormy road for Arias in recent years, as in 2020 he suffered a chilling injury in a qualifying match against Venezuela. Arias was left lying on the grass while his teammates, starting with James, held their heads. The diagnosis was terrible: “Broken fibula and ankle joint injury: Arias will be out for half a year“said Bayer Leverkusen, who had just signed him.

It took him a while to get back, 9 months passed, and then Muñoz was already the owner of the position in the National Team. Arias got back into his rhythm at Granada in Spain, then at Cincinnati in the MLS, until he arrived at Bahia in Brazil this year, where he began to be the Arias of before, with his best level. That led him to return to the National Team again. He has been in the shadow of Muñoz, but now fate has done its thing.

“We are saddened by Dani’s expulsion, he has been fundamental, he has contributed a lot to the Copa America, but football is like that, we have to look forward, we are proud of him, we do not blame him for anything, we hope that everything continues to go well,” said Arias, confident that his contribution will help the conquest.

PAUL ROMERO

Sports