By Paula Cabaleiro and Jorge Gil
Medellín, Colombia, July 8 (EFE).- More than three decades after Colombian defender Andrés Escobar was murdered following the 1994 World Cup, his death remains one of football’s darkest tragedies.
Family, friends, and former teammates continue to remember him not only for the own goal that preceded his killing but also for the character, leadership, and sportsmanship that made him one of Colombia’s most admired players.
Escobar, who played for Atlético Nacional, was shot dead on July 2, 1994, at the age of 27 after leaving a bar in Medellín.
Ten days earlier, he had scored an own goal in Colombia’s 2-1 defeat to hosts the United States, a result that contributed to the team’s elimination from the tournament under coach Francisco Maturana.
«I remember Andrés Escobar with great affection, admiration and love because he was like a brother to me and to everyone. He was an incredible person. We spent every day together, and he never woke up angry. He always faced life with the same positive spirit,» former teammate Luis Alfonso «El Bendito» Fajardo told EFE.
A complete footballer
Nicknamed «The Gentleman of Football» for his composure, elegance, and sportsmanship, Escobar was at the peak of his career when he was killed.
At the time, media reports widely suggested he was on the verge of joining AC Milan, fresh from winning the UEFA Champions League.
«In his position, defenders weren’t expected to show flair, but Andrés made difficult things look effortless. Just when you thought he would head the ball, he’d cushion it with his chest, bring it under control and calmly assess his next move,» Fajardo recalled.
He described Escobar as the defender who always «started attacks from the back,» both for Atlético Nacional and the Colombian national team, which represented the country at the 1990 World Cup in Italy.
With Atlético Nacional, where he famously wore the No. 2 shirt, Escobar won two Colombian league titles (1991 and 1994), the Copa Libertadores in 1989 and the Copa Interamericana in 1990.
He also had a brief spell with Swiss club Young Boys, making eight appearances during the first half of 1990.
A painful memory
Colombia arrived at the 1994 World Cup carrying enormous expectations after an outstanding qualifying campaign, highlighted by a stunning 5-0 victory over Argentina in Buenos Aires. Many believed the team could challenge for the title.
Instead, Colombia was eliminated in the group stage after defeats to Romania and the United States, despite defeating Switzerland. The own goal scored by Escobar against the hosts became the defining image of the disappointing campaign.
Several teammates urged Escobar to delay his return to Medellín until tensions eased, but he chose to go home.
In the early hours of July 2, as he was leaving a nightclub in Medellín, he was confronted by men who blamed him for the own goal.
According to accounts of the incident, brothers Pedro David and Juan Santiago Gallón Henao criticized him before their driver and bodyguard, Humberto Muñoz Castro, got out of the vehicle and shot Escobar six times.
«It was very hard, incredibly hard. I got the call around four in the morning. Coach Alexis García called to tell me what had happened,» Fajardo said.
He recalled urging Escobar not to go to the nightclub that evening and suggesting they meet elsewhere for a beer instead, but his friend chose to go.
«We were very close. We spoke constantly and spent a lot of time together, along with our girlfriends. He was about to get married,» Fajardo said, struggling to hold back tears.
Escobar’s legacy endures. He remains one of Atlético Nacional’s greatest idols, and the club reserves the No. 2 shirt for players deemed worthy of wearing it. In Medellín, a statue honors his memory, and a sports complex in the Belén neighborhood bears his name.
For Fajardo, preserving Escobar’s legacy means promoting the values he embodied.
«We need to instill the kind of character Andrés had and teach young players to respect and care for one another, both on and off the pitch,» he said. EFE
