Colombia never quite lived up to its tag as a favorite to win the 1994 World Cup.
The great Pele even tipped the Colombians, led by Carlos Valderrama, as the team to watch at USA ’94.
The Colombians fell to Romania and the United States in their first two games and were out.
After returning home, Colombian defender Andres Escobar was gunned down by disgruntled fans.
The tragic shooting reinforced Colombia’s reputation for violence. The sad affair made everyone forget just how exciting the Colombians were.
Colombia accomplished little until the late 1980s, when Coach Pacho Maturana built the Colombian national team into one of South America’s most attractive squads. Colombia produced one of the greatest upsets in the history of World Cup qualifying when it beat Argentina, 5-0, in Buenos Aires to clinch its berth at USA ’94.
The cornerstone of the Colombian game was Valderrama and his short-passing game. There also was the grit of midfield partner Leonel Alvarez and deadly finishing by the likes of Faustino Asprilla and Adolfo Valencia.
Colombia returned to the World Cup in 1998 but again went home early.
Since then, most of the great Colombian players of the early ’90s have retired from the national team. Valderrama, Alvarez and Valencia play in MLS. Asprilla is in Brazil.
A new generation of Colombians put on a clinic for American audiences, beating Mexico, 3-2, in Los Angeles after trailing, 2-0, after 14 minutes, then disposing of the United States, 1-0, in Miami.
The amazing thing was that few of the players that came on the U.S. tour are regulars on the national team.
Nonetheless, they showed the wide gap that still exists between American players and the best of South American soccer, easily handling the American attacks and launching deadly counters.
Let’s hope we see more of Colombia in the future.