I’m surrounded by a sea of bright yellow jerseys, Aguila beers, and the smell of fresh arepas and simmering Sancocho. Everyone is watching the television, holding their breaths, eyes glued to the screen; all of a sudden the restaurant erupts into Spanish cheers and chants of “COL-OMB-IA! COL-OMB-IA!” I know I’m somewhere in New York City but at this moment it feels like the subway dropped me off in Cartagena rather than the boroughs.
It has been 16 years since the Federacion Colombiana de Futbol (affectionately known as Los Cafeteros), have set foot in a World Cup stadium. Despite the hiatus, Colombia scores its third goal against Greece and wins its first match of the World Cup. While there are many deserving teams competing for the FIFA World Cup, here are 6 reasons to root for Los Cafeteros this year.
One Last Cheer for the Colombian Captain
The captain of the Colombian team—Mario Yepes—is 38 years old and will be retiring after this year’s World Cup tournament. Imagine if he should end his storied career with a golden trophy and winning team! That’s worth a cheer right there.
Do it for Falcao
When Colombian striker, Rademel Falcao, was injured back in January in a Monaco game in the French cup, it broke the hearts of Los Cafeteros fans around the world. Falcao underwent ACL surgery for his damaged ligaments and regrettably had to withdraw from the World Cup due to his recovery time. Despite the setback, Colombian fans are putting their faith in Carlos Bacca and Teofilo Gutierrez to score some goals. Falcao will be watching his team fight for the trophy from the stands and cheering them on.
A Nod to the Colombian Coach: Jose Pekerman
Ask anyone who they think is one of the top teams in the world and you’ll undoubtedly hear the same answers—Germany, Portugal, Spain & Argentina. After a change in coaches, Colombia is now being led by Jose Pekerman—an Argentine coach and ex-footballer. Pekerman replaced ousted former coach, Leonel Alvarez, and helped lead Colombia to a 3-3 tie against Chile and 2014 World Cup qualification.
Rooting for the Underdog
Overlooked and often forgotten, the Colombia team isn’t considered by many to be a real contender for this year’s World Cup. Admittedly, the history of our 94’ World Cup tournament still haunts us (see next point) but like a phoenix rising from the ashes, so too are Los Cafeteros proving doubters wrong. While teams like Germany and Argentina each have two World Cup trophies, Colombia has yet to win any. Having been banned, withdrawn or not able to qualify in the World Cup since 1930, we are looking at a true underdog that deserves a moment in the spotlight.
Leaving the Past in the Past
It was a dark time for Colombia in 1994 when player, Andres Escobar, was found murdered in Medellin. During a match against the United States in June of 94’, Escobar mistakenly scored a goal against Colombia causing a win for the USA. Shortly after, Escobar was found murdered—supposedly as a direct result of his futbol faux pas. Since then, Colombia has not qualified for a World Cup match until this year! It is a big moment for Colombia to be back on the World Stage and playing for a chance to win.
Give it up for the Uniforms!
Yellow represents the gold found in Colombia’s land, blue is said to symbolize the sea and red to represent the blood spilled for Colombia’s independence—these are the colors that make up the Colombian flag and Los Cafeteros uniforms. While some uniforms are questionable in style (I’m looking at you, Croatia), GQ voted Colombia’s uniform as #2 of the best-looking jerseys this year. If you’re going to be cheering for a team and wearing their jersey, you should look good while doing it!
Cheering with the Best Fans
Passionate, proud and full of life—Colombian futbol fans are a lively bunch to watch any game with. Whether you’re watching the World Cup games religiously or are in it for the beer, Colombian fans will have you jumping out of your chair and yelling in Spanish before you know it.
Colombia vs. Greece 3-0 Final Score
Colombia vs. Ivory Coast 201 Final Score
Colombia vs. Japan
*I do not own the rights to the photos featured in this post.
