Andrés Escobar
Escobar playing for Colombia at the 1994 FIFA World Cup against the United States
|
|||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Andrés Escobar Saldarriaga | ||
| Date of birth | 13 March 1967 | ||
| Place of birth | Medellín, Colombia | ||
| Date of death | 2 July 1994 (aged 27) | ||
| Place of death | Medellín, Colombia | ||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Playing position | Centre back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1985–1986 | Atlético Nacional | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1986–1989 | Atlético Nacional | 78 | (0) |
| 1989–1990 | Young Boys | ||
| 1990–1994 | Atlético Nacional | 144 | (0) |
| Total | 222 | (0) | |
| National team | |||
| 1988–1994 | Colombia | 51 | (1) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
|||
Andrés Escobar Saldarriaga (13 March 1967 – 2 July 1994) was a Colombian footballer who played as a defender. He played for Atlético Nacional, BSC Young Boys, and the Colombia national team.
Escobar was murdered in the aftermath of the 1994 FIFA World Cup, reportedly as retaliation for having scored an own goal which contributed to the team's elimination from the tournament.
Escobar was born in Medellín on March 13, 1967. He grew up in a middle-class family. He attended Colegio Calasanz and graduated from Instituto Conrado González. He participated in school football teams before becoming a professional football player. Prior to his death, Escobar was engaged to his girlfriend of five years, Dr. Pamela Cascardo, a dentist. Escobar was killed five months before their wedding was to have taken place.
His father is Darío Escobar, a banker who founded an organization that gives young people the opportunity to play football instead of being on the streets. His brother, Santiago, is a former footballer who played alongside Andrés at Atlético Nacional before moving into team management in 1998.
Escobar was a defender throughout his career. His jersey number was 2, and was known by the nicknames "El Caballero del Fútbol" ("The Gentleman of Football") and "The Immortal Number 2". In his club career, he played for Colombian club Atlético Nacional and Swiss club Young Boys. He helped Nacional to win the 1989 Copa Libertadores.
Prior to the 1994 World Cup, Escobar was reported to have been offered a contract by A.C. Milan.
He made his debut for the Colombia national team on March 30, 1988, in a 3–0 win against Canada. The first appearance of Escobar in an international competition took place at the 1988 Rous Cup, where he also scored the only goal of his international career in a 1–1 draw against England.
...
Wikipedia