Carlos Valderrama: “People came at me with scissors”
The Colombia great shares his afro secrets with FFT and debates who was the madder team-mate – Tino Asprilla or Rene Higuita…
In 2004, you were named in Pele’s greatest 125 footballers of all time – what did that mean to you? I was proud, because of where I came from. I’m proud of being Colombian and I’ll always fly the flag for my country. To be in that list and for Pele to recognise me was amazing. Who’s the king, though: Pele or Maradona? Well, for me it’s Maradona. I saw Pele at the 1970 World Cup when I was nine years old, but I knew Maradona throughout my whole career. I was able to watch his skill close up. You played at three World Cups for a great Colombia side. What was that like? It was a dream – all I ever wanted to do was represent my country at the World Cup. I put in the work because it was fun. Do things right and if you like what you’re doing, even better. It’s the only way to live. Who was the best player in that team? Faustino Asprilla is the best I’ve played with, and the best Colombian footballer of all time. He could do it all. Left foot, right foot, attack, defend – he was a very technical player who could score goals. He’s a great friend of mine. Who was crazier: Asprilla or Rene Higuita? They were both crazy, but good crazy. On the pitch, their commitment was impeccable and they had great discipline to work. Off the pitch, they went back to being crazy again… Did Higuita surprise you with some of the things he did on the field, like being tackled by Roger Milla at Italia 90? He didn’t surprise me, because I knew what he was like. I felt safe playing with him, as he was one of the greatest of all time – I was lucky to have him in my team. Higuita did some crazy things, but he was a secure goalkeeper. There was no blame after the Cameroon defeat at the World Cup because it’s a team game – we weren’t mad, just sad that we’d gone out. What about the scorpion kick at Wembley? Well, actually, when he did the scorpion kick he really did surprise me! He used to do it all the time in training, but I never thought he’d do it in a game, especially against England at Wembley! In football, that’s the craziest thing I’ve ever seen. Apart from the Cameroon game, what are your other memories of Italia 90? I didn’t play well at that tournament. No one believed that we’d be able to progress. We had a great team but, to be honest, the squad we had four years later was the best. The draw against Germany was one of the most special memories in Colombian football history, though, because it confirmed our qualification from the group. We played so well, and I set up Freddy Rincon for the equaliser right at the end. I watch it back on Youtube all the time – I love watching stuff like that, as I can show my grandkids that their grandad was a player many years ago. They’ve got no idea! People are always asking me for pictures and autographs, and my grandkids ask, ‘Why are they doing that, grandpa?’ So I have to show them the clips. When they see them, they say they want to play just like me. When did you first start to grow your afro? When I was 15. A friend of mine had a huge afro – there were 10 of us and we let it grow. Everyone liked it as we had the same haircut, and some of us also played in the same team. Did you like the fact it became iconic? The people decided my hair was iconic – I just played football. But I thank everyone for that. I’m a peaceful person, so I don’t mind getting recognised. The only time I put a hat on and glasses is when I’m dancing, so I can focus on my moves! It’s not to keep the women away, more to stop the men from taking my photo. I’ve been asked many times for a piece of my hair. People will come with scissors and take a piece for memorabilia – it’s pretty weird! You were part of the Colombia team that thrashed Argentina 5-0 in qualifying for the 1994 World Cup. Describe those scenes... It was historic, not just for Colombians but for the entire world. Maradona wasn’t playing but Argentina were shocked. Everyone realised we were a good team. What was the reaction like in Colombia? Well, we’re still celebrating now! Did it put pressure on you when Pele said Colombia could win that World Cup? Pele recognised what we’d done on the field, but it didn’t put pressure on us. Playing football is just a lot of fun. Sure, everyone in Colombia was praying for success, but we were praying too. In the end, the other teams played better than us at the World Cup – that can happen. Days after returning to Colombia, defender Andres Escobar was tragically shot dead – how hard was that to deal with? It was really hard. He was a wonderful friend and team-mate. It was difficult for us to play after that, and tough for me to put everything out of my mind and get back to playing for my country. It required a lot of mental strength. At France 98, defeat to England eliminated you after David Beckham’s free-kick. How gutted were you about that? England were better than us. It was my last game for Colombia but I still have Beckham’s shirt, and sometimes I’ll wear it when I train. He didn’t ask for any of my hair, but he did get my shirt! I wear Roger Milla’s shirt, too. You played in the first few seasons of MLS – what was that period like? It was a great experience, and the players who came helped create what is happening now. I love talking about it because we helped MLS grow. I’ve still got the record for the number of assists in a season [26]. One day it will be broken, but it’s been almost 20 years! You’ve been visiting the USA recently, so what took you back there? I was asked to get involved with the Autism Soccer Foundation. While I haven’t been personally affected by the problem, it’s something that touches my heart and I really want to help. The most important feeling for me is always what I’m feeling inside, the feeling from my heart.
Visit autismsoccer.org for details on the Autism Soccer Foundation