Lehigh Preserve Institutional Repository Overcoming Escobar: Creating a Sustainable Future for Colombian Soccer Initiatives Dutt, Cassandra 2013 Find more at https://preserve.lib.lehigh.edu/ This document is brought to you for free and open access by Lehigh Preserve. It has been accepted for inclusion by an authorized administrator of Lehigh Preserve. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. OVERCOMING ESCOBAR: CREATING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR COLOMBIAN SOCCER INITIATIVES Cassandra Dutt Introduction both teams were enormous. Colombian coach Francisco Maturana and his players began to When the World Cup began in June of receive death threats from their war-torn home. 1994, the Colombian national soccer team Forward Faustino Asprilla lamented, “This is seemed destined for international success. what was on our minds as we went on to the The team’s impressive World Cup campaign put pitch—that, if we didn’t win, there would be Colombia front and center on the world stage, trouble and we would be killed” (Ginn). Bur- gaining approval of international soccer crit- dened with fear, Colombia entered the match ics and even the coveted blessing of the sport’s against the United States lacking the confidence greatest legend, Pelé. Led by defenseman and that to date had helped them to rise to the top captain Andrés Escobar, the team was expected of the international pool. to rehabilitate the image of a country torn by Despite several promising attacks by the drug lords and rampant violence through their Colombian team at the beginning of the match, inspiring play and imminent success. Unfortu- the fate of the national team was changed for- nately, Colombia’s World Cup field of dreams ever when U.S.