Narco football: cartels, kidnaps and coked-up kickabouts

Colombia is known for many beautiful things. Arabica coffee. Cheap breast implants. Glorious Carribean coast.

But in the 1980s, the country was infamous for one thing… cocaine.

And Colombian football was ruled by terrifying druglords like Pablo Escobar.

From kidnapping referees to prison kickabouts with Maradona, this is the story of narco-football…

Read Ryan Ferguson’s excellent article about the era: https://ryanferguson.co.uk/blogs/blog/narco-soccer-pablo-escobar-football-nacional

Videos from the pod:

Rene Huguita’s scorpion kick at Wembley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRj3dKKp9tI

Carlos Valderrama with straightened hair: https://x.com/paddypower/status/1154324102737551360

Topless model kicks off friendly: https://x.com/sid_lambert/status/1532270708843323393

Asprilla v Chilavert fight: https://youtu.be/qseaJOsAKnY?si=UNnA94IlantJlCn8&t=57

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