The avalanche originated in Colombia. Then he went through Ukraine, France and the United States. Time later, he had a fleeting step through Argentina, touched Latvia and left his mark in Brazil. Now pushed much harder, he crashed nearly 5,000 miles from where he started. In Iceland, a Nordic country where scandalous news usually comes from abroad, the impact of the avalanche was reported this Friday: “Andrés ‘Manga’ Escobar, convicted of sexual abuse”.
(In context: Andrés ‘Manga’ Escobar, sentenced to two years in prison for sexual abuse).
A promising future that never came
Andrés Ramiro Escobar was born on May 14, 1991 in Puerto Tejada, Cauca. Since he was a child, his talent with the ball was undeniable. Entering his adolescence, ‘Manga’ joined the basic forces of Deportivo Cali and was guided by masters of Colombian football, such as the creative of yesteryear Jairo Arboleda. There, in the lower sugar factories, he cultivated his gift and laid the foundations for a dream future. One that never came.
In 2008, when he had barely reached the age of majority, he made his debut with Cali and became known nationally. Later came his call-up to the Colombian Under-20 National Team and, together with the generation of men like James Rodríguez, Santiago Arias and Duván Zapata, among others, confirmed the interest that his figure had aroused with the title of the Toulon tournament in 2011.
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From that band he was one of the first to go abroad. His destination was Dinamo Kiev, in the Ukraine. And although the jump was long, his permanence was not so long. In 2013 he was already back, on loan, at Cali. There, after some hard months, the Verdiblanco fans remember that ‘Manga’ returned to his level. Leonel Álvarez, a man with a commanding voice, was the DT that helped him regain confidence. And full of courage, ‘Manga’ traveled to France to join the ranks of Evian.
On Gallic soil he did not play more than five games. The assignment there was short and Escobar began to rebound in teams such as FC Dallas, Atlético Nacional, Millonarios and Vasco da Gama. With some flashes in 2015 and 2016, first in the purslane team and then in the ambassador, ‘Manga’ seemed to take another breath. He was 25 years old. It was time to do it. However, the respite was just that: a respite. On the court he shone, but his wayward temperament and his passion for the nightlife took the light away from him. In 2018, after comings and goings, with the Tolima Sports shirt, the blackout arrived.
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A talent clouded by excesses
In the Colombian soccer album, the month of September 2018 is remembered with two photographs of ‘Manga’ that went viral. The first showed him lying on a stretcher in the pijao club facilities. Given the inconclusive nature of the image, the owner of the club, Gabriel Camargo, was the one who gave it the description.
“‘Manga’ went to sleep drunk on a stretcher during training, we took photos of him and he took a breathalyzer test, which came back positive. He confessed that he did have a few drinks. He had to wake him up to take the breathalyzer test, ” he told ‘Antena 2’ back then.
“He no longer belongs to the institution, we canceled his contract for just cause”Camargo closed.
It seems that “Manga” Escobar, player from Tolima 🇨🇴 and former #EDLP, arrived at training drunk and fell asleep on the locker room stretcher. They hooked him up and took this picture of him. Obviously they kicked him off the team. pic.twitter.com/UcZfH4Sr1r
— Gonza (@gbobadi) October 21, 2018
A few days later, with the scandal unleashed, a video of the soccer player, in a state of intoxication, being detained by the National Police, aggravated the panorama. That was his second image.
The apologies for what happened, contained in a video that is no longer available on their social networks, were the closing of that chapter, but not the end of the controversies.
“Although at this moment what I most want is to turn back time, life does not allow me to do it. I know I made a mistake that I did not intend, a mistake that is condemning me, but that I hope one day I can show what I am capable. I hope you understand my apologies, God bless you “then said ‘Manga’.
The proof that Andrés Ramiro “Manga” Escobar, former player of Deportes Tolima, was driving drunk. The next day he went to train as if nothing had happened. He was fired. pic.twitter.com/LIHDUMAHuk
– Juan Manuel Diaz (@DIAZJUANMAN) October 22, 2018
The shock of the avalanche
After leaving Ibagué, Manga was very believer in his social networks. Apparently, his interest in a change from him pushed him to develop his faith. The issue is that, after spending less than 40 days in Latvian football, ‘Manga’ fell to the Brazilian Alagoas. There, again, his life off the pitch took its toll.
At that time, Pablo Armero, a player whose career was already in free fall due to all kinds of scandals, was his partner in the ‘pais do futebol’. After the media recorded the alleged nightly adventures of both, with some sensationalism, the “ballad” ended. It was then that he left for Cúcuta Deportivo, in the hands of José Augusto Cadena, and left for “just cause.”.
Now, the chapter that could be the end of his novel is the one he is living in Iceland, a country where he went to play Leiknir Reykjavík and today he watches from a detention center.
Last Friday, according to the local press, the Colombian was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for the crime of sexual abuse. As read in the press report, Escobar, who has played for Leiknir Reykjavik since last year, would have abused a woman at his house on September 19.
According to the media, ‘Manga’ would have admitted having sexual relations with the complainant, but “denied having abused her.” Her lawyer would have appealed the ruling before a national court. Meanwhile, he must remain deprived of his freedom, in principle, until September 1, when the resolution of his appeal is expected. Until then, it will be known if this clash is definitive or there are more to come.
🇮🇸🗞️ Fréttablaðið — 🇨🇴 Andrés “Manga” Escobar, 30-year-old striker from Cauca (ex-@LeiknirRvkFC), was sentenced last month in #Iceland for sexual abuse.
The 2 1/2 year sentence was sentenced by a Reykjavik District Court. pic.twitter.com/LatbDtbc33– Mauricio Andrés Luna Aroztegui (@MauricioAndrsL6) March 11, 2022
ANDRES FELIPE BALAGUERA SARMIENTO
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Networking: @balagueraaa
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