In my search for someone who could give me an insight into football in Colombia, I found Ewan Dinwiddie. Ewan emigrated to Colombia in 2005 and works on a blog covering Colombian football, he also runs his own site on travel and tourism in Colombia.
Name: Ewan Dinwiddie
Teams Supported: England: Nottingham Forest; Colombia: Millonarios
What is the top football club in Colombia and how does it compare to their counterparts in Europe and South America?
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| Fans of Atletico Nacional of Medellin display the clubs famous green and white colours |
Atletico Nacional of Medellin would have to be considered the biggest Colombia football club, certainly in the last couple of decades. Both Millonarios and America de Cali have won more titles than Nacional (13 compared to Nacional’s 10), but it was Nacional’s victory in the Copa Libertadores (South America’s Champions League) in 1989 that began an era of dominance that also signalled the decline of America and especially of Millonarios who have not won a championship since 1988.
In addition to their dominance on the pitch they also have by far the largest support in Colombia. During the 1990s the vast majority of the Colombian national team was made up of Nacional players. They even adopted a policy of only signing Colombian players during that period. Their attractive brand of passing football won them many plaudits and many supporters throughout the country.
These days, however, with football a fully globalised business and players sometimes being sold abroad before they’ve even kicked a professional football in Colombia it is impossible for even Atletico Nacional or any of the other big clubs to compete with their European counterparts.
Who do you feel are the top 3 players playing in Colombia and why are they in your top 3?
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| Giovanny Hernandez in action for his club side |
He may be getting on a bit but Giovanny Hernandez is still a class above most other players in the Colombian League. Straight out of the Carlos Valderama mould Hernandez (or “The Prince” as he is known) is the mastermind behind Atletico Junior’s attack. His pace has long since deserted him, but his vision, range of passing and set-piece taking are still a potent combination.
Dayro Moreno of Once Caldas is a strong, bulky, out and out goalscorer. He has the strikers’ instinct of being in the right place at the right time and has a knack of making goalscoring chances out of nothing. A natural finisher who should be playing his football abroad before the end of the year.
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| Dorlan Pablo in action for Colombia against Peru |
With English clubs always looking out for young foreign talent, name 3 under-21s playing in Colombia who you feel can make it in the Premier League one day? And what are their attributes and position?
Victor Ibardo (20) could have a bright future. He is strong, fast and appears calm when under pressure which could make him a candidate for the Premier League one day.
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| Part time Luis Nani look-alike Mosquera celebrates for his club Millonarios |
Luis Mosquera (21) is another to look out for. A left-sided midfielder currently at Millonarios with good pace and an excellent touch. He likes to get forward and trouble defences with his mazy runs.
It’s very early days but Fabian Castillo (18) of Deportivo Cali could be another one for the notebook if he continues his current trajectory. Another short, fast winger who has made a big impression since breaking into the Cali first team in 2010.
Colombia has a rich history of international stars including Carlos Valderrama, Faustino Asprilla and Rene Higuita, who do you consider to be the greatest Colombian player of all time?
“El Tino” Asprilla has certainly been the player I’ve most enjoyed watching in terms of all out flair. But for his crucial role in the great Colombian team of the 90s it has to be Carlos “El Pibe” Valderama. Valderama was the centrepiece to that side around which their forward play was created. His vision, passing and movement defined the entire style of Colombia’s football during that period. Something which has been sadly lacking in the Colombian game since his retirement.
What is your most memorable international match involving Colombia or involving Colombian clubs?
Colombia’s 5-0 victory over Argentina in Buenos Aires in 1993 during qualification for the 94 World Cup is easily the most memorable match in the Colombian national team’s history. Argentina entered the game on a 33-match unbeaten run and were destroyed by a mesmerising Colombia performance. Valderama and Alvarez were as dominant in midfield as Asprilla and Rincon were clinical up front.
Do you think a Colombian club will win the South American Champions League anytime soon?
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| Brazilian legend Ronaldo battles as his team are eliminated from the Copa Libertadores by Deportes Tolima |
With the dominance of the Brazilian clubs at the moment it seems unlikely, but not impossible. Deportes Tolima recently dumped Ronaldo’s Corinthians out of the competition and Atletico Junior have put together a decent squad for their campaign, but they cannot compete with the Brazilian clubs’ spending power and with all ties played over two legs it’s difficult to see any Colombian side making it as far as the final.
Which foreign club is the most popular in Colombia?
Most football supporters here tend to have at least one team they follow in each of the Premier League, La Liga, and Serie A. Barcelona and Real Madrid are both well represented, as are Manchester United. I’ve managed to convert one or two into Nottingham Forest fans but there is still much work to be done.
Which European based player is the most popular in Colombia?
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo predictably hog most of the limelight, although players like Fabregas, Rooney and Tevez have a lot of followers too.
There has been an obvious demise in Colombian football in recent history how can this be explained?
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| Drugs Baron Pablo Escobar (centre) clearly showing his interest in football |
During the 80s and 90s the drug cartels bankrolled many of Colombia’s football clubs, most notably Atletico Nacional (Pablo Escobar was a fan), America de Cali and Millonarios. The illicit money floating around Colombian football brought many top players from the continent and also ensured that Colombian players stayed for longer periods in the Colombian League than they do now. As the large drug cartels were gradually destroyed the money dried up and so too did the footballing talent playing in Colombia.
The demise of the national team is harder to explain, but is probably due to a change in footballing mentality of those running both the national team and the club sides. There has been a strong emphasis in recent years on producing tall, strong players and playing a more direct form of football as opposed to the intricate passing style of the 90s. A Colombian football pundit recently remarked that it was a good thing that Messi is Argentinian because had he been Colombian the short, squatty player wouldn’t have even been given a chance at playing professional football. The emergence of players like the slender Giovanni Moreno (now at Argentine club Racing) could signal a potential change in direction, but there is still a long way to go.
Has the political situation in Colombia impacted on its football?
Colombia’s golden footballing era occurred at the same time as the country’s most violent period with the Medellin cartel declaring war on the Colombian government during which time bombings, kidnappings and assassinations were occurring every day. This would suggest that the violence didn’t negatively impact the country’s football. Some players may have been put off from coming to play in the Colombian League as a result of the violence, but they were almost certainly outnumbered by those more than happy to accept a juicy wage packet.
In the Copa America of 2000, held in Colombia, Argentina took the decision not to participate citing the situation with regard to kidnappings as their reason. In Argentina’s absence Colombia won the competition beating Mexico in the final. An example of how the political situation here may have possibly benefitted Colombian football!
Do you see Colombia qualifying for the next World Cup?
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| Colombia's hopes for the 2014 World Cup rest with star striker Falcao |
FIFA are set to meet in early March to decide on the allocation of places for the 2014 World Cup to be held in Brazil. If FIFA decide not to include Brazil in South America’s allocation of 4 and a half spots then it will be a huge boost for Colombia’s hopes of qualifying for the World Cup, particularly as Colombia have found themselves just a place outside the qualification zone in each of the last three campaigns.
Colombia have shown some signs of improvement in some of their recent games. Two weeks ago they lost by just a single goal to world champions Spain and were unlucky not to score on several occasions. The key man for Colombia (who was absent against Spain through injury) is Porto striker Radamel Falcao. He has a prolific scoring record for the Portuguese side, but has so far struggled to replicate that form for the national side. Getting Falcao among the goals will be crucial if Colombia are to qualify for the next World Cup.
Where do you see Colombian football internationally and domestically in ten years time?
It’s difficult to imagine the Colombian economy strengthening to the extent of that of the Brazilian economy and so Colombian football clubs will continue to be forced to sell their best talents for the foreseeable future which will inevitably limit their chances of success in the Copa Libertadores.
Please could you tell us a little about yourself, your website and your plans for the future in football?
I emigrated to Colombia back in 2005. My website; http://www.colombiatravelguide.net/index.html. is principally a travel guide to Colombia, but I hope to have my Colombian Football blog up and running again in full by June 2011. I have a Guide to Colombian Soccer on the site at the moment which can be found at: http://www.colombiatravelguide.net/colombian-soccer.html. It covers the history of the Colombian game from the 50s when many of the best players in the world plied their trade in the Colombian League, through the glory years of the early 90s, and the tragic death of Andres Escobar in 1994. It also explains the format of the league as well as coverage of the top teams.
For the next few years my plans are to continue covering Colombian football, both domestic and international, with the hope of doing some freelance work for newspapers or websites.
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Well after that I'd like to thank Ewan for taking the time out to enlighten us on the history and current condition of Colombian football. I hope you've enjoyed reading this and also take the time out to have a look at Ewans site.
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