“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Atletico Nacional, and 14 appearances in 36 say he has earned the hearing.
He is the name in every column and on every phone-in, which is a heavy thing to carry at any age. Some footballers thrive on it; others are quietly finished by it.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Atletico Nacional have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
He is the name in every column and on every phone-in, which is a heavy thing to carry at any age. Some footballers thrive on it; others are quietly finished by it.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Atletico Nacional, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Atletico Nacional spent a month trying to move him and nobody rang back. He trains with a squad that has told him where he stands, and both sides start counting down to the next one.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Atletico Nacional have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
The name of Elkin Rivero has come up in conversations Atletico Nacional were not part of. Nothing formal, nothing signed — but nothing about it accidental either.
“The easiest signature of my career.” Cristian Uribe and Atletico Nacional agree another 4 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.
“I did not go to Deportes Quindio to sit and watch. I want to come back to Atletico Nacional and fight for my place.” 9 appearances in 27 matches say the rest.
The fee is $770.0K, the contract is signed, and the argument about whether he is worth it can begin. Independiente Medellin drove a hard bargain; time will say who won it.
A defender's mistake gets tidied up by somebody else; a goalkeeper's ends up in the net. He knew before the ball crossed the line, and so did everybody in the ground.
Every touch is being weighed now, in print and everywhere else. Some players grow into that and some are quietly ruined by it, and nobody knows which in advance.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Atletico Nacional can pretend not to have heard.
A 1-0 win over Deportivo Pasto, earned rather than given, and the sort of afternoon that sends everyone home talking about next week instead of this one.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Atletico Nacional, and both men came out saying it was fine.
A window away with the national side, and a shirt at Atletico Nacional that briefly doubles as an advertisement. A call-up flatters the player and the club that built him in the same breath.
“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Atletico Nacional, and 6 appearances in 22 say he has earned the hearing.
At 31 he has made the position his own, and the man he took it from has to find something to say about it. Atletico Nacional have a decision that made itself.
The run now stands at 8, and the questions being asked around Atletico Nacional are no longer polite ones.
The terraces10 May 2027
The boos come down from three sides
“We pay for this every fortnight. The least we want is somebody who looks like he cares.” 9 of the 28 senior players walked off into it; the rest were not playing.
6 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Atletico Nacional has to find a result from somewhere.
“The easiest signature of my career.” Alexandro Licona and Atletico Nacional agree another 4 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.
“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Atletico Nacional, and 4 appearances in 18 say he has earned the hearing.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Atletico Nacional, and both men came out saying it was fine.
In brief
The terracesThe spotlight tightens on David Ospina
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Atletico Nacional, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Atletico Nacional have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at Atletico Nacional, and 3 appearances in 14 say he has earned the hearing.
He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Atletico Nacional have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.
Asked to play a role that is not his, or taken off before the hour once too often — William Tesillo has let it be known that he does not like the way Atletico Nacional are using him. Managers hear this long before the press does.
Deportivo Pasto will want this one forgotten quickly: 5-1, every duel lost, and a long ride home. Atletico Nacional were ruthless in the way good sides are ruthless.
Some afternoons a goalkeeper is the team. 9 saves, several of them the sort nobody expects to see stopped, and a scoreline that flatters everybody in front of him.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Atletico Nacional have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
He is the name in every column and on every phone-in, which is a heavy thing to carry at any age. Some footballers thrive on it; others are quietly finished by it.
Every debut is a small story about the future: Zinadine Zidane Bedoya, 17 years old, off the academy pitches and into the first team. The parents in the stand will keep the programme.