Colombia's Narco-Soccer: Pablo Escobar, Los Pepes, and the Murder of The Gentleman

The Underworld Podcast

Documentary, True Crime, History, Society & Culture

4.6 • 871 Ratings

🗓️ 8 February 2022

⏱️ 49 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In the early Nineties Colombia had one of the world’s best soccer teams. Some even tipped them for 1994’s World Cup in the USA. But the country’s narco mayhem would come crashing down on the squad long before the tournament began. And for the nation’s captain, a tall, stoic defender from Medellin they called ‘The Gentleman’, one on-field mistake would have fatal consequences back home. Featuring gunned-down referees, a deadly cross-country rivalry, Pepes, Pablo and a kidnap-mediating, scorpion-kicking goalkeeper. Get Surfshark VPN at https://surfshark.deals/UNDWRLD - Enter promo code UNDWRLD for 83% off and 3 extra months free! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	June 23, 1994, clear skies, 90 degree heat, 93,000 fans at the Rose Bowl Stadium,
0:09.6	Pasadena, a cauldron of emotion and excitement.
0:14.0	Match day two of the World Cup, soccer's biggest stage, and a clash between the hosts, USA,
0:20.7	and Star Stud Colombia, Los
0:23.0	cafeteros, the coffee makers.
0:25.0	Pre-tormant tips and destroyers of previous finalists Argentina just weeks before.
0:31.0	After years in the sport shadows, Coach Francisco Matarana, a former player,
0:37.0	has given the cafeteria's flamboyance and flare.
0:40.0	Even in the Californian heat, nobody truly expects the Americans to win.
0:46.0	But Columbia are on the ropes. They're reeling from defeat to lonely Romania,
0:50.4	is set by off-filled drama and death threats, kidnappings and attempted hits.
0:56.5	Pablo Escobar is fresh in the ground, but his death has only accelerated an algae of
1:01.2	killing in native Medagine where for years soccer and
1:05.1	narco trafficking have become one.
1:08.6	Colombian Captain Andres Escobar, the gentleman, is also a son of Medelline.
1:14.4	He stars in defense for its best club, Athletical National.
1:18.6	The soft-spoken son of a banker, Andresse is almost universally loved, a towering stoic presence with a mullet and a face
1:27.2	chiseled like an Easter Island statue. He and his fiancee Pamela are ready in for marriage and kids and Andres has just agreed to join
1:35.9	AC Milan, Europe's best team.
1:39.3	A few chaotic seconds change everything. It's 34 minutes in. U.S. winger John Harks
1:45.9	screws across into the area and this moves, hesitate, and then he lunges full stretch poking the ball with his right toe right past his own keeper
1:57.2	Oscar Corriba himself a replacement for a star who's jailed amid Columbia's drug war. And this has just scored on his own team.
	...

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