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© 2013 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording,
taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the
publisher.
ISBN-13: 978-1-4222-2661-2 (hc) — 978-1-4222-9202-0 (ebook)
Printing (last digit) 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed and bound in the United States of America.
CPSIA Compliance Information: Batch #S2013. For further
information, contact Mason Crest at 1-866-MCP-Book.
About the Author: Juan Domingo Chacoff is a Chilean journalist and television
producer who has lived for over 25 years in the USA. He has worked for various
publications such as the weekly The World in Los Angeles and the sports magazine Don
Balón of Spain. He has worked on radio for the BBC and ESPN and in television on
Telemundo, CBS Telenoticias, Univision, and Fox Sports.
Photo credits: EFE: 4; EFE/Bevilacqua/yv: 22; EFE/Víctor Lerena: 24; EFE/Nestor
Ponce: 18; EFE/Rafa Salafranca: 1; Getty Images: 21; Bob Thomas/Getty Images: 12;
Bongarts/Getty Images: 15; Shutterstock.com: 2, 8, 14; Wikimedia: 10, 28.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1. The Architect of Achievement 5
CHAPTER 2. A Star is Born 9
CHAPTER 3. Idol of the Crowds 13
CHAPTER 4. The Rite 19
CHAPTER 5. His Last Adventure 25
CARLOS VALDERRAMA BY THE NUMBERS 29
GLOSSARY 30
FURTHER READING / INTERNET RESOURCES 31
INDEX 32
Carlos Valderrama defending the colors of his country.
CCHHAAPPTTEERR 11
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Place: Monumental Stadium, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Date: September 5, 1993.
The Colombian national team led by coach Francisco Maturana, was playing
their last cards to attend the 1994 World Cup USA. The Colombian National
Team, affectionately known as “Cafeteros” (coffee growers), had to win to earn
a ticket to the greatest festival of the soccer world.
The task would not be easy. The 41st minute of the first half, a precise
Argentinian National team was a pass from Carlos “El Pibe” (“The
formidable rival. They had home field Kid”) Valderrama to Freddy Rincón
advantage and would be supported by led to the first Colombian goal. The
over 75,000 frenzied fans. As if that score announced that this would be
were not enough, Argentina needed to one of the darkest nights in the history
win in order to ensure their of Argentina soccer.
participation in the World Cup. In the second half, El Pibe began to
From the referee’s starting whistle, operate at his full capacity in midfield,
the Argentines came out giving it all with passes to his teammates.
they had. The team repeated one
attack after another, but the coffee
growers put up a firm defense. In the
5
6 Carlos Valderrama
After 20 minutes into the second half, Argentina was much better.
Colombia had already taken a 4-0 lead El Pibe raised his arms skyward in
over the Albiceleste. The skillful Faustino thanks. The crowd still stood and
Asprilla made a goal at the 49th minute. applauded while the other Colombian
Then it was Freddy Rincón’s turn again at players arrived where El Pibe was
the 62nd. Two minutes later Asprilla gave standing and imitated the gesture. After
the Argentinian goalkeeper Sergio the applause, the stands of the
Goycochea a second dose. Just to put the Monumental Stadium became silent
icing on the cake, the “Tren” (train) again. The Argentinian players left the
Adolfo Valencia made Colombia’s final field if they had witnessed the death of a
goal at 84th minute, 5-0. relative.
Colombia qualified for the World Cup
What a humiliation!
while Argentina was left licking its
Even the most pessimistic Argentine fans
wounds. The Albiceleste was forced to
could not have imagined such a tough
play a playoff match with Australia, after
loss. Argentina had never lost with home
experiencing the worst beating it had ever
field advantage in a world qualifier game
received.
for the World Cup.
Remembering the Win
The symbol of this great deed was a
blond afro hair man with the number 10, Some time ago, El Pibe recalled the great
whom they called El Pibe. Argentinian achievement in an interview conducted
fans stood and began to applaud the by the Argentinian Sports Magazine El
daring handful of Colombians. Among Grafico. “That was an unforgettable day,
those applauding was the great Diego for the players who experienced it, for the
Maradona, who on the day before the people of Colombia, for everyone. It was
game had declared on television that a game, in which the Colombian National
Argentina would beat Colombia, because Team took advantage of the moment,”
in soccer, according to Maradona, said Carlos Valderrama.
During his career Valderrama played a total of 111 games for the Colombian
National team. These can be broken down as follows: 10 games in the World
Cup, 30 World Cup qualifying games, 27 games in the Copa América (American
Cup) tournament, and 44 friendly matches.
The Architect of Achievement 7
Defeated coach Alfio Basile also had
Valderrama made 12 goals while something to say. “I would like to never
weaing the jersey of the Colombian
remember that game again. It was a
national team.
failure. It was the day I wanted to dig a
hole and bury myself,” recalled Basile.
It goes far beyond the game, the
Another of the great protagonists of qualification for the world cup, the goals,
the epic was the Colombian coach the best player—the national team won
Francisco Maturana, who will always the most beautiful miracle of all: to
remember this unique day. “It was a very bestow happiness to a people who are
important game, I will not deny. It meant tired of suffering and mourning. Many
our passport to the World Cup. We won people felt like this victory was the party
with authority. In that game Colombia that life owed to the Colombians.
graduated,” claimed the coach.
The beaches of Taganga, located in Santa Marta, are visited by thousands of tourists
throughout the year. El Pibe has said that one of his favorite games as a small lad was
to go to the beach with a group of his friends and collect coins. The tourists threw coins
into the sea from a little bridge and made a wish. The Colombian boys would wait till
nightfall to seize the coins.
