David Vargas

Central Midfielder - Universitario Popayan
26 Nov 2026
Thursday
Process

Marked for David Vargas

16 Edition

The Universitario Popayan Gazette

16 Nov 2026
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Squad

The knee: Rodrygo Costa out for 79 days

79 days on the announcement, and a year of quiet, unwatched rehabilitation behind it. Universitario Popayan lose a player for a season; he loses something harder to name.

Squad

A falling-out at Universitario Popayan

Felipe Quintero and a teammate went at it, and not about football. Training grounds are small places and a long season makes them smaller.

Squad

Kevin Falcao falls out with a teammate over standards

The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.

In brief

Back issues
12 Edition

The Universitario Popayan Gazette

19 Oct 2026
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Squad

Rodrygo Costa damages knee ligaments — 110 days out

The words a physio says slowly. 110 days is what the club will announce and everybody who has heard this diagnosis before knows the number is the least of it: the knee comes back before the player does.

Squad

Words exchanged at Universitario Popayan

Richard Montero and a teammate said things this week that will take longer than a week to unsay. It was not about football, and both of them play on Saturday.

The dugout

The manager makes an example of Richard Montero

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Squad

Words at Universitario Popayan training over how hard people work

Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Kevin Falcao is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.

The dugout

Carlos Gonzalez gets picked when it counts

Every manager keeps a short list in his head of the men he wants on the pitch when the stakes rise, and it is never published. The team sheets for the big afternoons say Carlos Gonzalez is on it.

The dugout

Nicolas Perez asks for a word with the manager

“I would rather say it to his face than read about it.” The meeting was requested by the player, which tells you most of what you need to know.

In brief

4 Edition

The Universitario Popayan Gazette

24 Aug 2026
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Squad

Words exchanged at Universitario Popayan

Richard Montero and a teammate said things this week that will take longer than a week to unsay. It was not about football, and both of them play on Saturday.

Squad

Words at Universitario Popayan training over how hard people work

Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Rodrygo Costa is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.

The dugout

Felipe Quintero gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

The dugout

Carlos Gonzalez gets picked when it counts

Every manager keeps a short list in his head of the men he wants on the pitch when the stakes rise, and it is never published. The team sheets for the big afternoons say Carlos Gonzalez is on it.

The dugout

Alejandro Palacios knocks on the manager's door

“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Universitario Popayan, and both men came out saying it was fine.

The dugout

David Vargas keeps his manager's vote

The message was aimed at the stands as much as the dressing room: David Vargas plays, and the argument is closed until the manager decides otherwise.

In brief

2 Edition

The Universitario Popayan Gazette

10 Aug 2026
From our football correspondent Steady

Market

Arthur Rangel hands in a written request

“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Universitario Popayan can pretend not to have heard.

Squad

Victor Herrera signs on for more

“Some decisions take a long time. This one took ten minutes, and most of that was finding a pen.” Victor Herrera and Universitario Popayan agree another 4 years.

Squad

Felipe Quintero in a row with a teammate

It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Universitario Popayan this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.

In brief