ESCOBAR: IT WAS SIX SHOTS FOR ONE GOAL
Growing up you must have heard about a certain Escobar who scored an own goal and was killed for doing that. This story tells us as much crazy as the FIFA World Cup can be, but wait was it just about a football match or there is another undertone to it? Let’s go find out what caused the death of “El Caballero del Futbol” (The gentleman of football).
Coming to the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States, the Colombian team had been built to one of the strongest team in the World. They were so strong that the legendary Pele tipped them to make at least the Semifinal at the mundial. This was not an overstatement because in 26 matches leading to the 1994 World Cup, Colombia only lost a match out of 26. To prove further that they were contenders in the real sense of it, in the South America’s last World Cup qualifiers at Buenos Aires, the 1990 finalist and the host, Argentina needed a win against Colombia to qualify but were walloped 5-0 by the visitors. Ironically, Escobar did not take part in any of the qualifying matches but was not only called for the World cup but a regular starter.
Andres Escobar was born in the city of Medellin in Colombia on 13th March, 1967 where he rose to being a professional footballer with Atletico Nacional and was reported to have agreed terms to play for AC Milan after the 1994 FIFA World Cup. It was at the back of the time of chaos in Medellin that the Colombian National team jets to the USA 1994. A very rich Medellin drug cartel and the owner of Atletico Nacional by name Pablo Escobar (not related to Andres) was shot and killed by Colombian National Police, one day after his 44th birthday. Pablo’s death left Medellin in anarchy. Pablo had been the only control for the crimes in the land but with his death there were unabated shootings and crimes taking place. Andres himself was not a fan of Pablo but he knew how much his death has left the country in a difficult situation.
By the time Colombia would get to the Mundial it was difficult for them to concentrate, especially the local players like Andres. Colombia unexpectedly fell 3-1 to Romania at Pasadena and needed a difficult win against the host United States to progress. To make matters worse, the players were already receiving a lot of death threats from home. One of the defenders had his son kidnapped and his brother killed in a car crash in the aftermath of the loss to Romania. The team had played the Americans more than once in friendlies and beaten them in all, so it was not an impossible task but where fear dwells even the easiest task becomes an uphill.
The match was at the Rose Bowl on 22nd June, 1994. The Colombians played the game of their lives, they attacked the Americans from all angles but like one of the players Adolfo Valencia said “the ball wouldn’t go in”. At the 22nd minutes, America’s John Harkes played a cross into the Colombian 18 yard box, Andres made a contact to cut the ball but unfortunately turned it into his own net. The commentator shouted goal six times. Andres could not stand up for some time holding his head perhaps thinking about the consequence of what has happened. Even his nine year old nephew was reported to have said immediately “Mommy, they are going to kill Andres”. The Americans ended up winning the match 2-1. The 2-0 win against Switzerland in the last group game was not enough from stopping their elimination.
After their elimination from the tournament, the terribly down Andres Escobar wrote the following lines
“Life doesn’t end here. We have to go on. Life cannot end here. No matter how difficult, we must stand back up. We only have two options: either allow anger to paralyse us and violence continues, or we overcome and try our best to help others. It’s our choice. Let us please maintain respect. My warmest regards to everyone. It’s been a most amazing and rare experience. We’ll see each other again soon because life does not end here”
He felt so down that since his return to Medellin from the World Cup, Andres did not go out. However on the night of 1st July, 1994, Andres had forgotten his worries and then decided to hang out with friends. He was advised by friends and managers to stay at home because “the streets are dangerous” but Andres would not listen. He went to the bar with friends and soon what was meant to be just a hang out turned messy. Some groups of young people started abusing him and calling him all sorts of name. When Andres could take the embarrassment no more, he left the place but his tormentors would not leave him. They kept following him and hurling abuses on him. Andres stopped to explain to them that the own goal wasn’t intentional which explanation they turned deaf ears. The conversation would later turn violent as one of them brought out his gun and shot him six times as he was shouting “goal” as he shoots the number of times the commentator shouted it. The ambulance was called but within 30 minutes Andres was declared dead.
A certain Humberto Castro Munoz was arrested in connection to Andres’ death. Munoz who was a bodyguard to a popular Colombian drug cartel Santiago Gallon who had lost heavily betting as a result of the match confessed to the killing and was sentenced to 43 years imprisonment. The sentence was later reduced to 26 years and eventually released in 2005 after spending 11 years for good behavior.
Andres funeral was attended by over 120,000 Colombian including the President Cesar Gaviria who said the death of Andres was a result “absurd violence” affecting the country. There were claims around the country that Andres was not killed in revenge for the own goal. They claimed it was because he talked back at them. Some other persons said it all boils down to the absurd violence the country was facing at the time. Well, all of them might be right but the question that crossed my mind was whether Andres Escobar would have been shot if he had not scored an own goal?
THE MUNDIAL WILL SOON HIT THE MARKET. WATCH THIS SPACE
Growing up you must have heard about a certain Escobar who scored an own goal and was killed for doing that. This story tells us as much crazy as the FIFA World Cup can be, but wait was it just about a football match or there is another undertone to it? Let’s go find out what caused the death of “El Caballero del Futbol” (The gentleman of football).
Coming to the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States, the Colombian team had been built to one of the strongest team in the World. They were so strong that the legendary Pele tipped them to make at least the Semifinal at the mundial. This was not an overstatement because in 26 matches leading to the 1994 World Cup, Colombia only lost a match out of 26. To prove further that they were contenders in the real sense of it, in the South America’s last World Cup qualifiers at Buenos Aires, the 1990 finalist and the host, Argentina needed a win against Colombia to qualify but were walloped 5-0 by the visitors. Ironically, Escobar did not take part in any of the qualifying matches but was not only called for the World cup but a regular starter.
Andres Escobar was born in the city of Medellin in Colombia on 13th March, 1967 where he rose to being a professional footballer with Atletico Nacional and was reported to have agreed terms to play for AC Milan after the 1994 FIFA World Cup. It was at the back of the time of chaos in Medellin that the Colombian National team jets to the USA 1994. A very rich Medellin drug cartel and the owner of Atletico Nacional by name Pablo Escobar (not related to Andres) was shot and killed by Colombian National Police, one day after his 44th birthday. Pablo’s death left Medellin in anarchy. Pablo had been the only control for the crimes in the land but with his death there were unabated shootings and crimes taking place. Andres himself was not a fan of Pablo but he knew how much his death has left the country in a difficult situation.
 |
| Pablo Escobar (The popular Medellin drug Cartel) |
The match was at the Rose Bowl on 22nd June, 1994. The Colombians played the game of their lives, they attacked the Americans from all angles but like one of the players Adolfo Valencia said “the ball wouldn’t go in”. At the 22nd minutes, America’s John Harkes played a cross into the Colombian 18 yard box, Andres made a contact to cut the ball but unfortunately turned it into his own net. The commentator shouted goal six times. Andres could not stand up for some time holding his head perhaps thinking about the consequence of what has happened. Even his nine year old nephew was reported to have said immediately “Mommy, they are going to kill Andres”. The Americans ended up winning the match 2-1. The 2-0 win against Switzerland in the last group game was not enough from stopping their elimination.
 |
| Medellin, Colombia |
After their elimination from the tournament, the terribly down Andres Escobar wrote the following lines
“Life doesn’t end here. We have to go on. Life cannot end here. No matter how difficult, we must stand back up. We only have two options: either allow anger to paralyse us and violence continues, or we overcome and try our best to help others. It’s our choice. Let us please maintain respect. My warmest regards to everyone. It’s been a most amazing and rare experience. We’ll see each other again soon because life does not end here”
He felt so down that since his return to Medellin from the World Cup, Andres did not go out. However on the night of 1st July, 1994, Andres had forgotten his worries and then decided to hang out with friends. He was advised by friends and managers to stay at home because “the streets are dangerous” but Andres would not listen. He went to the bar with friends and soon what was meant to be just a hang out turned messy. Some groups of young people started abusing him and calling him all sorts of name. When Andres could take the embarrassment no more, he left the place but his tormentors would not leave him. They kept following him and hurling abuses on him. Andres stopped to explain to them that the own goal wasn’t intentional which explanation they turned deaf ears. The conversation would later turn violent as one of them brought out his gun and shot him six times as he was shouting “goal” as he shoots the number of times the commentator shouted it. The ambulance was called but within 30 minutes Andres was declared dead.
 |
| Andres Escobar's funeral |
A certain Humberto Castro Munoz was arrested in connection to Andres’ death. Munoz who was a bodyguard to a popular Colombian drug cartel Santiago Gallon who had lost heavily betting as a result of the match confessed to the killing and was sentenced to 43 years imprisonment. The sentence was later reduced to 26 years and eventually released in 2005 after spending 11 years for good behavior.
Andres funeral was attended by over 120,000 Colombian including the President Cesar Gaviria who said the death of Andres was a result “absurd violence” affecting the country. There were claims around the country that Andres was not killed in revenge for the own goal. They claimed it was because he talked back at them. Some other persons said it all boils down to the absurd violence the country was facing at the time. Well, all of them might be right but the question that crossed my mind was whether Andres Escobar would have been shot if he had not scored an own goal?
THE MUNDIAL WILL SOON HIT THE MARKET. WATCH THIS SPACE
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