Drugs, Murder, And The World Cup Part 1: The Narco History Of Colombian Football

Drugs, Murder, And The World Cup Part 1: The Narco History Of Colombian Football

56:52 Mar 3, 2026
About this episode
Welcome back to It Was What It Was, the football history podcast. In this first part of our three-part special on Colombian football and the tragedy of Andrés Escobar.Co-hosts Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper explore the extraordinary history of Colombian football leading up to the 1994 World Cup. This episode covers the intersection of football and narco-culture, Pablo Escobar's involvement in the sport, the tense rivalry with Argentina, and the dramatic road to qualification culminating in the legendary 5-0 victory at El Monumental. You can listen to this episode ad-free over on our Patreon - Follow the link here - or go to Patreon.com and search for It Was What It Was. You will also get access to our World Cup countdown, magazine retrospectives and bonus episodes as well as a monthly Q&A with Rob and Jonathan.01:39 The El Dorado League & Early Colombian Football10:11 Francisco Maturana: The Dentist Who Revolutionised Colombian Football19:02 Maturana's Influences: Total Football Meets South American Flair27:43 Navigating Narco-Culture: Pablo Escobar36:11 René Higuita: The Sweeper-Keeper & The Kidnapping41:25 Building Rivalry: Colombia vs Argentina at Copa América 199348:12 World Cup Qualifying Begins: Asprilla's Controversies54:03 The Road to Buenos Aires: Setting Up the Five-Nil Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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