Atletico Nacional U18

Colombian Liga BetPlay U18
26 Aug 2026
Wednesday
Process
4 Edition

The Atletico Nacional Courier

24 Aug 2026
From our football correspondent Triumph

Match

Atletico Nacional through in the cup

A 3‑0 win over Bogota, and the draw for the next round can be watched with some interest for once.

Player ratings

No sign of nerves from Juan Manuel Rengifo at 21 — 8.29

The hardest thing about being 21 in a senior side is that nobody makes allowances. Juan Manuel Rengifo did not need any: 8.29, and he looked the most comfortable man on the pitch.

Player ratings

Dairon Asprilla, 34, rolls back the years — 8.35

There is an age at which every good afternoon gets described as a throwback, which is unfair and also accurate. 8.35 at 34, and nobody on the pitch was better.

Market

Samuel Velásquez has his eye on Europe

It is not a grievance and it is not a demand: he wants to play continental football, and he has stopped hiding it. Whether Atletico Nacional can give him that is a question about the club, not about him.

Player ratings

The game went through Jorman Campuzano — 7.17

Marked 7.17 on 14 actions at both ends of the pitch. Midfielders like this get described as unspectacular by people who have never tried to play against one.

Match

Still nobody has beaten Atletico Nacional

The unbeaten run reaches 6. Some of them were wins and some were escapes, but a side that refuses to lose is a side other dressing rooms talk about.

The terraces

The crowd has taken to Nicolás Rodríguez

At 22 he is being sung about by people twice his age, which is an affection a signing has to earn over years and a local kid gets for turning up. It is also the hardest thing in football to live up to.

Match

Dairon Asprilla sends Atletico Nacional past Union Magdalena

It finished 1‑0, and it was Dairon Asprilla’s afternoon: on the scoresheet when it mattered, and the reason the points belong to Atletico Nacional.

Player ratings

Ninety minutes of Gustavo Torres at his very best

Marked 8.43. Players have careers without a single afternoon like this in them, and he has just had one in front of everybody at Atletico Nacional.

In brief

Back issues
3 Edition

The Atletico Nacional Courier

17 Aug 2026
From our football correspondent Upbeat

Match

Cup progress for Atletico Nacional

A 3‑0 win over Valledupar, a place in the next round, and the quiet arithmetic every supporter does on the walk home: how many more until a final?

Match

Atletico Nacional throw away a 2-goal lead

2 in front and in complete control, and it finished with Deportivo Pasto the happier side. There is no version of this afternoon that Atletico Nacional will enjoy reviewing.

Player ratings

Both of them Alfredo Morelos's — 8.48

2 goals, and the second was the one that settled it. Marked 8.48, and he could have had a third with better luck at the near post.

Player ratings

Juan Manuel Rengifo scores twice — 8.30

Two goals and a mark of 8.30 to go with them. Strikers are judged on afternoons like this one and remembered for far fewer of them than people imagine.

Player ratings

Simón García, 21, steals the show — 7.71

Marked 7.71 at 21, in a side that makes no allowances for age. He did not need any, and he looked the least nervous man on the pitch.

Squad

Edwin Cardona 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 Atletico Nacional this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.

The dugout

No hiding place for Franco Armani

“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to Franco Armani, and the manager let it.

The terraces

The crowd has taken to Juan Manuel Rengifo

At 21 he is being sung about by people twice his age, which is an affection a signing has to earn over years and a local kid gets for turning up. It is also the hardest thing in football to live up to.

Match

Atletico Nacional share the spoils with Deportivo Pasto

A 2‑2 draw with Deportivo Pasto leaves the dressing room somewhere between relief and regret.

In brief

2 Edition

The Atletico Nacional Courier

10 Aug 2026
From our football correspondent Triumph

Match

Atletico Nacional run riot against Deportivo Pereira

3‑0, and the margin flattered nobody — it could have carried another goal or two without complaint. Afternoons like this are why people keep coming.

Player ratings

Alfredo Morelos scores twice — 8.21

Two goals and a mark of 8.21 to go with them. Strikers are judged on afternoons like this one and remembered for far fewer of them than people imagine.

Player ratings

Milton Casco, 38, rolls back the years — 7.88

There is an age at which every good afternoon gets described as a throwback, which is unfair and also accurate. 7.88 at 38, and nobody on the pitch was better.

Market

Andrés Sarmiento moves on

Veracruz pay $1.9M, and the deal is done. The number reads well on a balance sheet; whether it reads well on the pitch is next season's question.

Market

Atletico Nacional may not be able to give Jorman Campuzano what he wants

It is the most legitimate ambition in the sport and the hardest for most clubs to satisfy. Jorman Campuzano wants continental football; whether Atletico Nacional can provide it is a question about the next two seasons, not about him.

Squad

Alfredo Morelos stays put

“The easiest signature of my career.” Alfredo Morelos and Atletico Nacional agree another 4 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.

Squad

Words exchanged at Atletico Nacional

Edwin Cardona 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 Alfredo Morelos

“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.

The terraces

Atletico Nacional supporters have found a favourite in Elías Cabrera

There is a particular warmth a ground reserves for a 23-year-old it feels ownership of. Elías Cabrera has it now, and everything he does for the rest of his time here will be measured against the goodwill he was handed for free.

In brief

1 Edition

The Atletico Nacional Courier

3 Aug 2026
From our football correspondent Triumph

Squad

Franco Armani keeps Atletico Nacional in it on his own

Some afternoons a goalkeeper is the team. 6 saves, several of them the sort nobody expects to see stopped, and a scoreline that flatters everybody in front of him.

Player ratings

Up for the corner, and Jorman Campuzano delivers — 7.97

Centre-halves are allowed forward twice a season and are judged on what they do when they get there. Jorman Campuzano scored, was marked 7.97, and got back before anybody noticed he had gone.

Market

Veracruz watching Andrés Sarmiento

The interest is real enough to have reached print. Atletico Nacional have said nothing, which in a transfer window is its own kind of answer.

Market

Alfredo Morelos has his eye on Europe

It is not a grievance and it is not a demand: he wants to play continental football, and he has stopped hiding it. Whether Atletico Nacional can give him that is a question about the club, not about him.

Squad

Andrés Román out for 73 days

The medical room confirms 73 days on the sidelines for Andrés Román, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

Squad

Franco Armani stays put

“The easiest signature of my career.” Franco Armani and Atletico Nacional agree another 2 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.

Squad

Words exchanged at Atletico Nacional

Franco Armani 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 terraces

The crowd has taken to Elkin Rivero

At 20 he is being sung about by people twice his age, which is an affection a signing has to earn over years and a local kid gets for turning up. It is also the hardest thing in football to live up to.

Match

Jorman Campuzano the difference as Atletico Nacional beat Patriotas

Ask anyone on the way out what separated the sides and you will get one name: Jorman Campuzano. 1‑0 against Patriotas, and the applause at the whistle was mostly his.

In brief