It is no secret to anyone that women’s soccer and the Colombian Women’s National Team need Natalia Gaitán, Isabella Echeverri and Yoreli Rincón. In evidence was the little defensive solidity in the friendlies against the United States in preparation for the Copa América, and in turn, the lack of creativity in the midfield to spin connections with the forwards.
Leicy Santos improved in the second half of the second game when Nelson Abadía put a teammate up front who would throw herself back to help in the creation, such as Linda Caicedo. That is where Yoreli Rincón should appear. Retaliation for speaking the truths within Colombian women’s soccer resulted in the unexpected absences of Natalia Gaitán, Isabella Echeverri and Yoreli.
Natalia Gaitán and Isabella Echeverri were removed from the calls after playing the 2019 Pan American Games with which they reached another new title in Lima, Peru. Yoreli Rincón for her part ceased to be a regular after the Copa América in 2018.
Colombia is preparing with 23 players for the historic Copa América on Colombian soil. Cali, Bucaramanga and Armenia will be the venues for this competition and as has been customary in recent calls, the three soccer players did not appear. The sadness did not wait, and Natalia Gaitán was the first to use the networks to vent due to her absence. A dream fulfilled would be to represent her country in coffee territory, which has been cut for singing truths in 2019.
With two photos on her Instagram, Natalia Gaitán published, ’15 years ago I lifted the first trophy for Colombia in women’s football, almost the same years that have passed since I first wore the national team jersey and started a story that has been full of joys, some tears, growth and many dreams.
When I started, I dreamed of going to a World Cup, attending the Olympic Games, being champions and maybe being captain, maybe taking the decisive penalty kick to lift a trophy for my country. I dreamed and it seemed impossible, but they were dreams that I was able to fulfill and that helped make women soccer players visible in our country as an irrefutable reality that fills stadiums and stirs passions.
Likewise, I also dreamed of playing in my country, on the grass of my land, in front of the eyes of my family, my friends and all those new soccer promises that remind me of myself when I was 15 years old. With great sadness I see how this dream will not come true; I was very excited and eager to be in the Copa América, qualify for the World Cup and win the championship.
I have other dreams on and off the pitch and I work on them every day to achieve them. Other paths will come that I will have to travel and other doors will surely open to continue doing what makes me happy, to continue leaving a mark and writing a new story.
To the entire team, many successes, your smiles will be mine and I will celebrate your triumphs as my own. I am sure that it will be a historic participation and that Colombian soccer will make itself felt strongly. It has always been and will be an honor to wear the national team shirt and represent my country and I will never stop dreaming of it.’