My Peace Corps Country is Better at Soccer than Yours

Starting 11

FIFA currently has Colombia ranked 6th in its world rankings.  The next highest Peace Corps country, Ecuador, is ranked 11th.  So what I am trying to say it is a great time to be a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia.  The entire country is buzzing and it is beautiful to see all socioeconomic levels come together to support La selección,  La tricolor, Los cafeteros, or whatever else the newspapers are calling the Colombian National fútbol team.  Historically, Colombia has a very rich soccer history, but they haven’t made the World Cup since 1994 and back then the Colombian game was very different.  During this era, Colombian soccer was riddled with drug money hence the name narco-fútbol.  If you haven’t seen the ESPN 30 for 30 The Two Escobars then stop reading this blog now and go find a way to watch it!  You will learn all about Colombian fútbol in the heights of the Escobar era.  

The World Cup qualification games take place in the Colombia’s largest stadium, El Metropolitano, which happens to be in Barranquilla, a short two hour bus ride from my site in La Boquilla.  So I felt like it was my duty as both a fútbol fan and a fan of all things crowded, loud, and sweaty that I attend at least one World Cup qualification game.  That game was Friday March 22nd against Bolivia and it was more crowded, louder, and sweater than anything I could have imagined. 

I met up with a PC friend at my host family from trainings house, where I stay when I am in Barranquilla, and after the entire family heard we needed directions to the stadium, they did something very common here on the coast.  My brother started by giving us the name of one bus, then my host mother chimed in with two more possible routs, she then called my host uncle who had two more potential routes.  So instead of giving us the name of the easiest bus route, we left the house thoroughly confused and still without a clue of how to get to the stadium.  So I ended up asking a taxi driver his opinion and by some sort of miracle he told my friend and I ONE easy route.  So sorry host family for not listening to your suggestions, but I am horrible with directions and interpreting three people yelling bus routs in a foreign language is not yet my forte.

We boarded the bus and got dropped off right outside the stadium.  Three hours before the game even started, the stadium grounds were rumbling with noise and there was an endless sea of yellow--Colombia’s soccer uniforms.  After finding our seats--two hours before game time-- the sun was shining bright and I already began to smell a bit ripe (nothing any deodorant could do on this day).  The game finally started and after 90 minutes of nonstop chanting and horn blowing Colombia had won 5-0.  

My face red from the sun, we left the stadium in the massive yellow exodus to the public transportation.  What a great game and I really can’t compare it to any sporting event I have been to in the States.  But what I do know is that this will not be my last World Cup Qualifier game I go to in Barranquilla. 

Since I wrote this Colombia lost a heart breaker to Venezuela 1-0, but they are still strong contenders to qualify for the 2014 World Cup!

Sea of Yellow 2 hours before the start 

5-0 win!