On this day 17 years ago......

castletownman

Colombian defender and national team captain Andres Escobar was shot down in cold blood in his home town of Medellin, after his own goal against the USA in a 2-1 defeat denied Colombia's progression to the knockout stages of the World Cup. They had been hotly tipped to make a huge impression at the World Cup having blitzed all before them in the qualification campaign, and after defeating Argentina 5-0 away in their crucial final qualifer, recieved a standing ovation from the Argentine supporters.

Coincedentally, I watched a documentary on ESPN Classic last night entitled "The Two Escobars" which chronicled Pablo Escobar's direct and indirect influence on soccer in Colombia and the Colombian national team, and the drugs war he started that made Colombian the murder capital in the world and ultimately led to their poor showing in USA 94 and Andres' death. I would thoroughly recommend it to any soccer fan as I thought it was quite fantastic.

Anyway, just how good was that Colombian team as I am a bit young to remember it at it's pomp. Could it be regarded as one of the biggest under-achievers at a single World Cup, or one of the greatest never to win a World Cup. And how good was Andres? *

* PS. This is my first post on the soccer forum, thanks for accepting my request

Het-Field

castletownman wrote: »

Colombian defender and national team captain Andres Escobar was shot down in cold blood in his home town of Medellin, after his own goal against the USA in a 2-1 defeat denied Colombia's progression to the knockout stages of the World Cup. They had been hotly tipped to make a huge impression at the World Cup having blitzed all before them in the qualification campaign, and after defeating Argentina 5-0 away in their crucial final qualifer, recieved a standing ovation from the Argentine supporters.

Coincedentally, I watched a documentary on ESPN Classic last night entitled "The Two Escobars" which chronicled Pablo Escobar's direct and indirect influence on soccer in Colombia and the Colombian national team, and the drugs war he started that made Colombian the murder capital in the world and ultimately led to their poor showing in USA 94 and Andres' death. I would thoroughly recommend it to any soccer fan as I thought it was quite fantastic.

Anyway, just how good was that Colombian team as I am a bit young to remember it at it's pomp. Could it be regarded as one of the biggest under-achievers at a single World Cup, or one of the greatest never to win a World Cup. And how good was Andres? *

* PS. This is my first post on the soccer forum, thanks for accepting my request

I recall Escobar. He was a good defender, who was on his way to Europe. It was believed that the World Cup in 1994 was an exercise in copperfastening his fate vis-a-vis a move to Spain, England or Italy. I recall Blackburn Rovers were linked with him prior to the World Cup.

The ESPN Documentary is exceptionally interesting. It became clear that Colombian Football was built on a bedrock of dirty-money. However, it demonstrated Pablo Escobar as some form of "Robin Hood" Character. Ecobar's empire, and competing Drug Empires prevented the Colombian National team from fulfilling its potential. Subsequent to the WC it became clear that threats had been levelled at the team, and the management staff, and most of the players went to the World Cup labouring under the belief that what ultimately happened to Anders Escobar, would happen to them.

Obviously, when Pablo Escobar died, the dirty money which he invested in Colombian Football dried up. The benefits of his dubious investments continued to pay dividends until 2001 or so, when Colombia took the Copa America, and had qualified for the World Cup in 1998. However, once Colombian football had to stand on its own too feet, it virtually collapsed.

castletownman

I think at the end of the documentary it was mentioned that 14 of the 18 clubs in the Colombian first division was on the verge of bankruptcy in 2008.

I thought the blatant corruption in the 1980's not only from Escobar, but from the owners of Club America and others was amazing, including the lengths they went to ensure their clubs garnered success. I'd say it isn't too outlandish to suggest that Pablo Escobar was the catalyst to that Colombian team's rise as he had built soccer pitches in all the poor areas of Colombia which inveresly nutured all the best talent in the country.

grenache

I can remember this game as a ten year old with my father. I had no idea Escobar was actually caught up in the drugs trade. It was always my presumption that he was the scapegoat for the drug barons who had lost thousands after betting on Colombia to go far in the tournament. The book sounds very interesting, i want to go buy it now after hearing all this new information.

ArmaniJeanss

castletownman wrote: »

Anyway, just how good was that Colombian team as I am a bit young to remember it at it's pomp. Could it be regarded as one of the biggest under-achievers at a single World Cup, or one of the greatest never to win a World Cup. And how good was Andres? *

They were 7/1 third favourites at the start of the competition, which may give an idea of how much was expected of them.

jamsieboy86

grenache wrote: »

I can remember this game as a ten year old with my father. I had no idea Escobar was actually caught up in the drugs trade. It was always my presumption that he was the scapegoat for the drug barons who had lost thousands after betting on Colombia to go far in the tournament. The book sounds very interesting, i want to go buy it now after hearing all this new information.

If you mean the footballer Andres, he was not involved in the drug trade in any way. It was his namesake Pablo that was the drug lord.

yabadabado

Escobar was believed to be heading to Milan after the world cup.in the espn doc its mentioned that if Pablo Escobar was still alive, Andres wouldnt have been shot.

Professional Griefer

The documentary is on youtube if anyone hasn't seen it, just finished watching it. Brilliant film.

Heres the first part

yabadabado

Ix Deadmau5 wrote: »

The documentary is on youtube if anyone hasn't seen it, just finished watching it. Brilliant film.

Heres the first part

yeah its excellent and it does get shown on ESPN classics fairly regular.For a wider view of the backround to '94 Killing Pablo by Mark Bowen is brilliant it charts Escobar's rise to power.

castletownman

Andres was the poster boy for the national team. Pablo used to invite the team to his ranch to play football matches with stakes as high as one or two million dollars. He even snuck the national team into prison to play football matches when he volunteeringly handed himself over to authorites! It isn't too farfetched to say if Pablo was still alive Andres wouldn't have been shot, he was the deity of the national team (well appeared to be anyway)

L'prof

castletownman wrote: »

Colombian defender and national team captain Andres Escobar was shot down in cold blood in his home town of Medellin, after his own goal against the USA in a 2-1 defeat denied Colombia's progression to the knockout stages of the World Cup.

I remember being a very upset 10 year old when I heard the news that he had been shot dead and the reasoning behind it. Such a senseless act, which I'll never forget!

Het-Field

castletownman wrote: »

I think at the end of the documentary it was mentioned that 14 of the 18 clubs in the Colombian first division was on the verge of bankruptcy in 2008.

I thought the blatant corruption in the 1980's not only from Escobar, but from the owners of Club America and others was amazing, including the lengths they went to ensure their clubs garnered success. I'd say it isn't too outlandish to suggest that Pablo Escobar was the catalyst to that Colombian team's rise as he had built soccer pitches in all the poor areas of Colombia which inveresly nutured all the best talent in the country.

I think it is a certainty. His dirty investment helped give rise to a successful Colombian bid for World Cup '86 (The CFA ultimately resigned the bid in 1983), and three successive World Cup qualifications. The Club game in Colombia was also very strong indeed. Since the Colombian game lost Escobar's patronage at all levels, the national and club game has been in terminal decline.

ollie1

17 years ago :eek: that makes me feel so old

Latchy

Hard to believe it's 17 years now .I can still see the ball rolling into net and the look of absolute desperation on the poor man .

castletownman

Is it true that Faustino Asprilla never played for the national team again, following his death?

Het-Field

castletownman wrote: »

Is it true that Faustino Asprilla never played for the national team again, following his death?

Dont think so. He was sent home from France '98 in a very public manner after Colombia's defeat to Romania.

yabadabado

Het-Field wrote: »

Dont think so. He was sent home from France '98 in a very public manner after Colombia's defeat to Romania.

he played until the end '02 WC qualifying

Dearg81

castletownman wrote: »

Anyway, just how good was that Colombian team as I am a bit young to remember it at it's pomp. Could it be regarded as one of the biggest under-achievers at a single World Cup, or one of the greatest never to win a World Cup. And how good was Andres? *

They were a good side but nothing special. They had a few useful players in Rincon, Valderama abd Asprilla but were never serious contenders. I think they over achieved in the qualifiers and were found out in the WC. I'll never forget Hagi's goal against them when they lost 3-1 to Romania.