They were one of the most talented groups of young Colombians ever assembled. The Under-20 side of 2011 was blessed with pace, power and a dynamism in the final third that put grey hairs on the heads of their young opponents.
The hosts of that year’s U20 World Cup, the excitement for the competition bubbled throughout the nation. Domestically, Colombian football had suffered somewhat in the years preceding the tournament. Money laundering and financial instability were rife during the post-millennium era, with famed club América De Cali typifying the problem.
By 2012 they had debts of $2m and found themselves a member of ‘the Clinton List’. This meant their assets and bank accounts on US soil were frozen, a consequence of suspected links to illegal activities.
Yet the U20 World Cup was a proud moment for all concerned, including Javier Calle, New York City FC’s off-season signing from Deportivo Independiente Medellín: “Every kid in Colombia dreams of playing for the U17, U20, and the national team sides,” he told the Guardian in a recent interview.
In completing his dream he was doing so alongside not just friends but also future stars of the game. His roommate was Santiago Arias, then with Sporting Clube de Portugal, who would later move to PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands and last month saw his name linked with Arsenal.
Elsewhere Luis Muriel was about to begin his second season in Italy on loan at Lecce from Udinese, while Duván Zapata would join him in Serie A with Napoli two years later.
By far the most impressive of the group was a youngster from Cúcuta in the north of the country.
“I always knew that James [Rodríguez] would be one of the best players in the world,” Calle says nonchalantly. The 23-year-old saw Rodríguez away from the cameras and the spotlight, in the moments when champions are made.
“Not only was he incredibly talented, but also he was never satisfied on the pitch. James always wanted to be the best,” Calle adds. “His work ethic and ambition are what allowed him to arrive at one of the best clubs in the world in Real Madrid.”
Calle was subbed in for Rodríguez during Colombia’s first game of the tournament – a 4-1 win over France in which Rodríguez scored Colombia’s first. Drawing rave reviews, he had just completed the quadruple at Porto under the guidance of André Villas-Boas and was furthering his reputation with each passing day. Colombia would eventually fall at the quarter-final stage against Mexico in what proved a surprising early exit given the wealth of talent the squad possessed.
By that point, some had already secured paths out of their homeland. Yet despite the success that trailed the team, Calle did not follow on the golden path to Europe. Dropping down a division at one stage in his career, the last 18 months have seemed symptomatic of South American football at its worst as Calle has worked with four different coaches.
“It’s always difficult to have manager changes, but you have to approach every day of work with a good attitude,” Calle says with an air of humility. “It was difficult at times, but I never let myself get down and just kept preparing for the right opportunity.”
That opportunity finally came last season. A quiet Apertura with Deportivo Independiente Medellín was contrasted by an action packed Clausura for Calle. Beginning the season behind Daniel Hernandez – one of the club’s main new signings from Once Caldas – Calle overtook him and became integral to the side.
By the end of the season Calle felt ready for a change, but any decision was not be made lightly. There was strong interest from Europe, particularly in Spain, yet America beckoned: “I’ve always wanted to play in Europe, but NYCFC is a special opportunity,” Calle explained.
“MLS is a league that keeps improving and it could be one of the best leagues in the world someday,” he added. “There are top players signing here and I wanted to get better as a player against top competition.”
Sold on the level of competition, a quick chat with a future opponent down in Dallas also helped seal the deal: “Fabian [Castillo] is a very close friend of mine. He told me about the league previously and how everything is very professional and first class. It will be nice to see him again when we play Dallas this season.”
A quiet individual with a laid back manner, the process of moving to a new country can be daunting. When I ask how that period has been, Calle smiles and tells me of his new teammate Sebastián Velásquez. The former Real Salt Lake midfielder was also born in Medellin and it seems the two have quickly bonded: “Sebastián is a great friend and teammate,” he explains. “He’s been helping me as I make the transition to a new country and a new league. It’s very nice to have someone from Medellin and we get along great, sharing jokes and laughs.”
Calle has also been impressed by his new coach. “He is a great person and a coach,” he says of Jason Kreis. “He is always looking for ways to help us improve and simply wants to win. I like that a lot.”
Elsewhere the 23-year-old also holds the dream of one day reuniting with his former U20 teammates on the senior international stage: “Playing for the Colombian national team has always been my dream, and I will do everything possible to make sure that Prof. [Jose] Pekerman keeps me in mind for the squad.”
Blessed with a chance to perform on a big stage in Major League Soccer, Calle now has his opportunity to prove that his country’s golden generation, had one more glimmer of success buried in the mud.
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