Sports
Of all sports in Colombia, football (soccer) is the most popular. It is widely regarded as an important event in both national and international games. Oftentimes, football has been considered to be 'sacred' in Colombia due to its passionate fans who rival even those of nations like Brazil and Argentina. The sport has proved to be a stronghold in fighting the stereotypes of Colombia's drug cartels and violence. Despite winning very few international events, Colombia has produced outstanding players, thereby creating a positive reputation in the nation itself.
A golden era existed for the national team from the mid 1980s towards the late 1990s when it became one of the most powerful teams in football. The tragic death of Andrés Escobar for an own goal at the 1994 FIFA World Cup caused a severe scar in the nation's history of the sport and effectively ended the golden era as many of the star players quit due to his assassination. The most noticeable players of the national team at the time were Carlos Valderrama and René Higuita.
The Colombian national football team has not qualified for a FIFA World Cup since 1998 although current players such as Radamel Falcao García – who was the first-ever player to score more than 15 goals (17) in one season in the UEFA Cup-Europa League during the 2010/2011 season -, Fredy Guarín, Juan Cuadrado, Cristian Zapata, Abel Aguilar Luis Muriel Santiago Arias and James Rodriguez have restored hope in the Colombian national team. Colombia qualified for the World Cup in 1962, 1990, 1994, and 1998. Colombia are currently ranked 8th.
The Colombia National Team often found among the 10 best teams in the world in the FIFA World Rankings.
In club football, Atlético Nacional became the first Colombian club team to win the Copa Libertadores in 1989. Many of Colombia's star players of the golden era came from this team such as Andrés Escobar and Rene Higuita, among others. Once Caldas were the surprise winners of the 2004 Copa Libertadores and the second Colombian team to do so.
Read more about this topic: Colombia
Famous quotes containing the word sports:
“Guys do not have a genetic blueprint that allows them to understand or love sports.”
—Lesley Visser, U.S. sports reporter and announcer. As quoted in Sports Illustrated, p. 82 (June 17, 1991)
“In the past, it seemed to make sense for a sportswriter on sabbatical from the playpen to attend the quadrennial hawgkilling when Presidential candidates are chosen, to observe and report upon politicians at play. After all, national conventions are games of a sort, and sports offers few spectacles richer in low comedy.”
—Walter Wellesley (Red)
“It was so hard to pry this door open, and if I mess up I know the people behind me are going to have it that much harder. Because then there’s living proof. They can sit around and say, “See? It doesn’t work.” I don’t want to be their living proof.”
—Gayle Gardner, U.S. sports reporter. As quoted in Sports Illustrated, p. 87 (June 17, 1991)