ABU DHABI // This year, Colombian fans say their team has its best chance in decades to progress in the World Cup, and its 3-0 victory over Greece was the perfect way to open the event.
The country’s history in the tournament is perhaps most famous for two mishaps — one comic and one tragic.
Firstly was when flamboyant goalkeeper Rene Higuita — he who invented the scorpion kick clearance — was dispossessed by Cameroon striker Roger Milla in the second round of Italia 1990, leading to the goal that ended Colombia’s World Cup run.
Secondly was when defender Andres Escobar scored on his own goal in the 1994 World Cup game against the United States, then was shot dead on his return home.
“That was a hard time in our country. It was very sad,” said Norby Ramirez Munoz, 31, a singer from Cali, Colombia.
Ms Munoz and her Colombian bandmates play in Quattro, the house band at the Chamas restaurant at the Intercontinental Abu Dhabi. Most of them have lived here about three years.
They believe the team is ready to put these incidents behind them and achieve success.
“I think this is the best time, the best team,” said Ruben Dario Pardo, 30, the band’s pianist, from Bogota.
It's not a coincidence that more than half of Colombia's players in the expected starting 11 play their club football overseas, said Mariano Ortiz, an English teacher in Abu Dhabi, who is from Armenia in central Colombia. He organises events for the social-networking group Latin Americans in the UAE.
“They don’t only have the talent, but they have a secure situation to return to,” he said, calling it a “massive advert” for tourism in the country.
Colombia are viewed by many as favourites to win Group C, where they willalso face Japan and Ivory Coast. If the team progresses, it will be the second time Colombia has made it past the World Cup group stage.
“They will go to the next stage, I’m sure,” said Mr Pardo.
After that, the competition is tough: Who would they most want to go out in the first round so Colombia can avoid them.
“Brasilia,” Quattro singer Claudia Paola Roa, 37, from Bogota, answers immediately.
“If we play them, we’ll have to say goodbye,” said bassist Ramiro Perez, also from Bogota.
While their star player Radamel Falcao, who plays for AS Monaco, has had to withdraw from the squad after failing to recover from a knee injury, fans say the team has equally good players.
“The team is not only Falcao,” said Mr Perez.
“I’m sure we have many good players,” said Mr Pardo.
They include winger Juan Cuadrado, who plays for Italy’s ACF Fiorentina, and Carlos Bacca, a striker who plays for Spain’s Sevilla FC, Mr Pardo said. Other standouts are defenders Mario Yepes and Luis Perea, midfielder James Rodriguez and striker Teo Gutierrez.
While the fans plan to meet up to watch as many games as they can, members of Quattro say it will not match the atmosphere back home.
“In Colombia, every place is too quiet,” said Mr Pardo. “Everyone is looking at the TV.”
In Bogota, huge screens are set up in public places. “Everybody is outside,” said Mr Perez.
Offices and schools close early if the matches coincide with work or school hours, said Mr Ortiz.
“The whole country is paralysed,” he said.
lcarroll@thenational.ae