Most famous beyond his native Colombia for “that” kick, yes the scorpion kick at Wembley in an international friendly versus England that led to visitors on an internet site to vote the event as the best play in the history of the sport, Rene Higuita has given us football fans a great deal over the years.
The Early Years
As a boy from the barrios of Medellin, Higuita was raised against the backdrop of the trials overwhelming that city. After shining for the Colombian team in the South American Youth Cup in Paraguay in 1985 he was offered a contract with Millonarios of Bogota where over the course of one season he made 16 appearances and scored 5 goals before making the move back to Medellin to play for Atletico Nacional.
Atletico Nacional
From 1986 to 1992 Higuita plyed his trade with Atletico Nacional making 112 appearences for the team and winning various titles from the Copa Libertadores to the Colombian Championship. It is no secret that during this time, various of the powerful cartels all but legitimately ruling Colombia channelled vast sums of cash into their favoured teams. It is no secret that Atletico Nacional happened to be the team of choice for the Colombian godfather of international cocaine smuggling, Pablo Escobar.
Atletico Nacional win the Copa LIbertadores
You could probably refer to Higuita’s years with Atletico Nacional as his glory years capped with the victory over Paraguayan side Olimpia in Bogota in the Copa LIbertadores when, with the two leg final tied on aggregate 2-2, the match went to sudden death penalties. Higuita saved 4 from 9 and cemented his hero status.
Higuita in the Colombian National Team
Higuita played 68 times for the cafeteros and scored 8 goals and it was during his tenure in goal between 1987 and 1999 that he made world famous his inimitable scorpion kick. His time playing for Colombia had its highs and lows ranging from playing in the World Cup finals in 1990 but then managing singlehandedly to gift Cameroon striker Roger Milla the ball 35 yards from the goal and enable the African side to reach the quarter finals. He also missed the 1994 World Cup as he was imprisoned for having mediated in a kidnapping release.
The Later Years
After such highs Rene Higuita’s resume reads like an atlas of Colombian and international football clubs. He has plied his trade for Real Vallodolid of Spain before returning to his beloved Atletico Nacional and then moving on to Tiburones Rojos de Veracruz in Mexico, Independiente de Medellin, Real Cartagena, Atletico Junior, Deportivo Pereira, Aucas of Ecuador, Bajo Cauca FC, Guaros de Lara FC in Venezuela, Deportivo Rionegro and again with Deportivo Pereira.
Outside of Football
Beyond his football career Rene Higuita has never been far from the public eye having appeared on a couple of Colombian reality TV shows. Perhaps the most astounding was an extreme makeover style program where the goalkeeper underwent cosmetic surgery live on television saying: “I am tired of being ugly Rene, now I want to be handsome Rene.” In addition to his TV appearances he has declared his support of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and has expressed his desire to not only coach the Colombian national side but also to play a more active role in his country’s politics.
What Next for Higuita?
In truth it is a difficult call since Higuita’s career choices have never been straightforward, but while we may miss his eccentricities on the football pitch it is unlikely that he will allow us to forget him. The Colombian national side are in need of a new coach to overhaul and upset the status quo, maybe it's Higuita's time?
Richard McColl - I am a freelance writer from deepest darkest London but for the past 10 years or so I have been maintaining my extended "writing break" in ...
