Mario Alberto Yepes, former defender and captain of the Colombia national team, acknowledged that the week after the August 10 earthquake was the hardest of his life. 'This has been the hardest week, in my 50 years, that I've seen in my country,' he said during the press conference ahead of the charity match on Friday, August 21 at El Campín. The ex-player, who stayed in Cali during the past days, highlighted the sadness of seeing affected communities in the Chocó and the support of Colombians.
Legends Return to El Campín
The match will bring together 36 historical figures of Colombian football, including Carlos Valderrama, Falcao García, Faryd Mondragón, Giovani Hernández, Juan Cuadrado, and Jackson Martínez. The technical directors will be Francisco Maturana and René Higuita, who may play if he wishes. The event, organized to raise funds for victims, will have no sporting objectives, but social ones.
Football as a Tool for Solidarity
Yepes explained that the match aims to unite Colombians after the tragedy. 'We are going to play for the most important title: helping Colombia rise,' he said. The El Campín stadium, used as a relief center during the emergency, received 507 tons of aid from citizens. The match will start at 7:30 PM and mark the return of legends to a pitch with a humanitarian purpose.
