It was a predestined. He did not make the most beautiful goal of the World Cups nor the one that defined a title. Yes, one of the most celebrated that we can remember. He blew up the party meter. It moved the tectonic plates in Colombia and the shock wave was replicated throughout Latin America, even in other latitudes. Just like an earthquake, it brought people out into the streets. And it was his turn, Freddy Rincón.
Not even James’ majestic goal against Uruguay could unleash such euphoria. We are part of a group of statisticians and historians of America, with dozens of members from Argentina to the United States and a large number of members expressed the same: “I shouted it as if it were from my country”.
It was rare: an incredible joy that a team that was not ours gave us. That rarely happens. Such an explosion breaks down the stupidity that if it is not in the world final or the Champions League it is useless.
They repeat it a hundred times and after a hundred I look at it again with the same interest, I feel it as if it were happening now. It was the product of a beautiful construction of walls and a genius of Valderrama to leave Freddy alone with the German goalkeeper Bodo Illgner. That Pibe pass is like being given the winning lottery ticket and being told “take it, collect it yourself”.
Why do we continue to evoke it thirty-two years later…? Because it contains a story.
He drew all of West Germany to his left and made it tame in East Germany. There was no one there. Freddy didn’t hesitate for a moment, he controlled and sent her between the legs of one. It was the magical moment of his life. And it was total madness.
Why such acclaim if it was in the group stage and it barely served to draw 1-1…? Why do we continue to evoke it thirty-two years later…? Because it contains a story. And without circumstance there is no epic. Colombia returned to the World Cups after twenty-eight years and it was none other than Germany, a machine that would be the undefeated champion, and the last World Cup version of a strong Yugoslavia, that of Dragan Stojkovic, Srecko Katanec, Dejan Savicevic, Darko Pancev, Davor Suker, Robert Jarni, Alen Boksic, Robert Prosinecki… The last gathering of Serbs, Croats, Bosnians, Slovenians, Macedonians and Montenegrins.
(We recommend: The incredible soccer priest who performed a miracle in the Copa Libertadores).
the memorable goal
Germany came sweeping: 4-1 to Yugoslavia and 5-1 to the United Arab Emirates. Colombia was in danger of qualifying for the round of 16.
They had fallen against Yugoslavia and barely had two points, the product of a correct victory over the Emirates. He needed at least a tie to aspire to be one of the best third parties. And he just had to get it before the cuckoo of the tournament. It seemed impossible.
Another German win over Pacho Maturana’s team was expected. And the first ten minutes were terrifying, the Luftwaffe bombing Milan.
The crossed balls crossed the Colombian field generating panic. Klinsmann and Vöeller stung like arrows. Those were times when Germany still played the Panzer style, not like now, when they know how to play and are slower. Colombia seemed mired in confusion and in the Giuseppe Meazza box together with the unforgettable León Londoño, we looked at each other with the face of a cow looking at the train: “These give us five”. Until a long ball came for Klinsmann’s entry and, when we all foreshadowed the first goal, Higuita came out, stopped it with his chest, lifted it over the head of the German tank and came out playing softly on the right. It was balsamic. Such a daring action served to placate the German fury and encourage their own. Those things that René had and that other archers never had, no matter how good they were.
The sun came out for Colombia and another match began, to the rhythm of vallenato. And the touch and dominance began under the baton of El Pibe. It was exciting. For the rival and the framework, perhaps the best game of that Maturana team.
Dominance and merits were accumulating, until reaching the fateful 89th minute, when a stack by Vöeller brought together several Colombians and left Littbarski in a good position to finish off. Left foot and… German goal…! It was a hammer blow to the illusion, like the iceberg the Titanic collided with. What was that iceberg doing there…? It was too much injustice for such a consecration, neat and brave performance.
Enrique Omar Sívori, the famous Ballon d’Or of 1961, was with us, “from the anger” he got up and left. “How well he had played Colombia…!” he lamented. It was desolation, they made me want to cry, rage and impotence. The Colombian boys were left lying on the floor. Valderrama, with great integrity, raised some. “Come on, let’s go, we have to continue…” But the sadness lasted only four minutes. Upon reaching 93 came that monumental play in which El Pibe, with a beautiful left-footed pass, left Rincón alone and Freddy without hesitation, with aplomb, sent it to the net. It was a difficult explosion to narrate, those things are lived.
With blush, I must confess: I never shouted so much a goal from a team that was not Argentina as that one from Rincón. As Pacho said, “we are used to the fact that the last goal is always from Germany, but this time it was from Colombia”.
(You can read: Jackson Martínez, from soccer to music, a life dedicated to God).
I never shouted so much a goal of a selection that was not Argentina as that of Rincón
With León we hugged each other and ended up standing on the seats in the VIP area. Right away she remembered that he was a member of the Fifa executive committee: “Listen, my son, they’re going to throw us out of here…”, the man from Jericho cautioned. But they didn’t kick us out. The emotions that soccer generates excuse certain outbursts.
That goal vindicated everything, the performance and the pass to the next round. He is surely the most shouted in the history of Colombia. However, the player Freddy exceeds the legend of that June 19, 1990. He was a spectacular midfielder who today would be worth at least fifty million euros. An all-rounder who scored, played and converted, with an ostrich stride, respectable technique, tremendous power, goal and character. A midfielder with almost 170 goals is serious business.
It came to the area like a hurricane; in the race it was unstoppable. Like fingerprints, no two players are the same, however we notice similarities in the game to Kevin de Bruyne, a back and forth 8, from area to area, with a great offensive vocation. He is surely the most complete Colombian soccer player of all time. I had everything. We did a survey on Twitter about who could be the five best in the country, hundreds of tweeters participated and Freddy Rincón appeared on all the lists. He and El Pibe are unanimous. The others, for some yes, for others no.
After that enlightenment against Germany, many more goals would come, like the two he scored in the famous 5-0 against Argentina, and a long international campaign that included great teams in the world, including Real Madrid and Napoli.
He was an important part of that Palmeiras de oro of 1994 along with Marcos, Roberto Carlos, César Sampaio, Flávio Conceição, Rivaldo, Zinho, Evair… But it was in Corinthians where he reached idolatry. It was the zenith of him. It is especially remembered when the black and white club won the first Club World Cup with Rincón as captain and figure of the tournament. He converted two goals and the first penalty in the definition against Vasco da Gama.
He received the cup from Joseph Blatter, in a photo that traveled the world map. He widely triumphed in Brazil just in the period in which Pelé’s homeland won two world titles –1994 and 2002– and three Copa América –’97, ’99 and 2004–.
We know, there is no bad death. But allow us this moment of praise at the hour of farewell to the one who generated the most intense moment of joy for a nation.
last tango…
Jorge Barraza
For the time
@JorgeBarrazaOK
#glory #Freddy #tango #opinion