Colombia’s ‘Better Than Messi’ Dream

Fans continue to cherish the unforgettable year of 2005, even though Colombia has already gone eight years without winning a South American youth championship.

Nearing its 20th anniversary is the momentous statement that will always be associated with Hugo Rodallega, the current Liga BetPlay top scorer. But Rodallega has often stated that he never said those remarks; rather, it was a manufactured story from the Argentine press before a game between the Deportes Quindío forward and none other than Barcelona great Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccitini.

‘Do you think you are the greatest in the tournament?’ the Argentine journalist questioned me that day. “Not the best in the tournament, but I am the top scorer and Colombia is first; I feel good about that,” I retorted. I responded, “No, I’m the top scorer, but I don’t think I’m better than Messi,” when he asked me if I thought I was better than the star. In reference to his interview with the Argentine media when he was barely under 20, Rodallega remarked, “The following day, the news was that I claimed to be better.”

Practically speaking, Rodallega outperformed the Argentine throughout the competition and was instrumental in helping Colombia win the South American Championship eighteen years after their last triumph in 1987. There is no denying that this team inspired a sense of hope among supporters.

The starting lineup was strong: Libis Arenas was selected for goal instead of David Ospina Ramírez, a promising 17-year-old. Christian Marrugo and Abel Aguilar held down the midfield, while Camilo Zúñiga, Carlos Valdés, Cristian Zapata, and Mateo Casierra made up the defensive line.

Hugo Rodallega and Wason Rentería commanded the front line, while Harrison Otálvaro and Juan Carlos Toja were positioned as the attacking midfielders. Radamel Falcao García, a promising prodigy who had recently arrived from River Plate, was on the bench waiting for his opportunity.

Colombia advanced to the hexagonal round together with Argentina, Venezuela, Uruguay, Brazil, and Chile after defeating Bolivia, Peru, and Venezuela in the group stage and drawing with Argentina. Colombia’s match versus Chile, which Colombia won 4-3, was an especially exciting contest.

Colombia gained 13 points and won the South American championship after defeating Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, and Venezuela and drawing with Messi’s Argentina once more. This was no accident; the team’s third-place result at the 2003 U-17 World Cup served as the starting point for the historic national squad that traveled to Brazil in 2014.

A 14-year-old child was preparing for his professional debut with Envigado and dazzled everyone at the 2003 Pony Football tournament while all of this was going on in Colombia. He undoubtedly offered a great deal of hope because he had worn the number 10 jersey his entire life.

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