Soto Jorge Culture

Dr Jorge Soto Shares his Colombian Passion for Soccer and the Historic Game against Argentina in 2018

The pain and suffering that all Colombians endured in the 80s and 90s has been well documented and publicized, some times with facts and other times with more fiction than facts. Political unrest, corruption, social injustice and easy narco-dollars combined to generate a perfect storm that ended many lives and silenced many others. We were all struck by the insanity of indiscriminate violence, and the stories are too many and too painful to tell. But, in the midst of the worst chapter in the history of the country, the national soccer team emerged as the one factor that unified all of us. The game that is the focus of this clip reminded us that there was hope for the nation.

Only the players and coaches of the team that arrived in Buenos Aires believed they could emerge triumphant from the hostility that surrounded them. Politicians, members of the clergy and members of the guerrillas, including Pablo Escobar, celebrated with the regular folks what was a most unlikely victory. Coincidence or not, the direction of the country started to turn in a different, better, direction just a few years after this game.

 

 

 

Background to Colombian soccer leading up to 2014 World Cup

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