The Tragic Demise of Andres Escobar

Born 13 March 1967, Andres Escobar was only 27 when he was shot to death outside a nightclub in Medellin, Columbia by three assassins.

Escobar played for Columbia’s Atletico Nacional for his entire career. Nicknamed ‘The Gentleman’ Escobar was recognized for his clean play in a sometimes cynical league.

The Colombian national team was resurgent in the early 1990s. They were reaching toward the pinnacle of world football. Support for the Columbian team almost amounted to hysteria. The players were national celebrities. But some saw a darker side with links to Escobar’s namesake Pablo Escobar and his drug cartel.

With Andres, the bleach Afro Carlos Valderrama, and the mercurial Oscar Cordoba in goal, Columbia was highly favored going into the 1994 World Cup to be staged in the United States. And after suffering a shock 3-1 defeat to Romania in the opening group game Columbia faced the United States themselves!

But sadly in the 31st minute, misfortune struck. Running back towards his own goal to defend a low ball crossed in from USA’s Harkes on the left wing, Escobar slid and parried the ball into his own goal. There was a long moment of silence as Escobar stood stony faced. The United States went on to win 2-1, leaving Columbia in a hopeless position. And although they beat Switzerland in the final group game, Columbia were eliminated and headed sadly home. Obviously disappointed, Escobar maintained a positive attitude, saying in an interview ‘It’s been a most amazing and rare experience. We’ll see each other again soon because life does not end here’.

Five days after the Switzerland game on 1 July Escobar was joined by friends on a night out in Medellin City. The friends split up around 3.00am leaving Escobar alone in his car in the parking lot outside the nightclub. Three men approached. They began arguing with Escobar. Seconds later shots rang out and Escobar was struck 6 times with bullets from 38 caliber handguns. It was reported the killers shouted ‘Gol!’ with every shot. The three men escaped in a pickup truck. Andres died of his injuries in hospital less than an hour later

It emerged that three members of a drug cartel (not Pablo Escobar who was a true fan of the game) having bet substantial sums on Columbia to win the World Cup, and of course lost had ordered the hit. Andres left behind his beloved fiancée, Pamela, whom he was to have married a couple of months later. And the Columbian game has never risen again to those dizzying heights of the early 1990s!