In Medellín you can tell a lot about a person by the colour of the shirt they wear. On the day of the clasico the city becomes divided between the green and white of Atletico Nacional and the red and blue of Independiente Medellín. For most people their team is decided by their neighbourhood, family, and social status. Atletico Nacional fans are proud of the team's illustrious history, greater international prestige and larger fan-base. On the other hand, Independiente Medellín's devoted backers take pride in their recent domestic and international successes, celebrating their underdog status and revelling in upsetting their wealthier neighbours. Footballing allegiances in Medellín are about a lot more than football; they are often indicative of social status, identity and aspiration. To align oneself with the red and blue of Medellín is to celebrate the identity of difference, to champion the underdog and to passionately resist the cities dominant forces, whereas those who wear green and white emphasize the club's greater size and success; los verdes take pride in their great tradition. Nacional embody the city's aspiration while Medellín represents defiance and independence.
On match day the teams' respective barra brava's orchestrate proceedings at either end of the 45,000 seater stadium shared by the clubs, with Nacional to the south and Medellín to the north; an approximate reflection of support within the city. For large parts of the game, for the fans, the action on the field becomes secondary to representing the club and the hincha; producing the greater spectacle and out-chanting the opposing end of the stadium. Banners are unveiled, streams of paper are distributed, flares lit and drummers prepared with military precision by marijuana-smoking, bare-chested youngsters. The police, who congregate in groups of three or four close to the exits, do their best to avoid eye contact and further inflame the impassioned hordes. The two great teams in the city are a source of pride and identity for the people of Medellín.
So, what then for Envigado Fútbol Club?
The club was founded in 1989 and moved to the newly constructed Estadio Polideportivo Sur in 1992. Envigado is a municipality within the Area Metropolitana del Valle Aburra to the south of Medellín, with a population of around 180,000 residents. Envigado is almost indistinguishable from its sprawling neighbour to the north, as you travel south from Poblado the traffic lights provide the only indication that you have entered a separate municipality; painted black and white in Medellín and yellow in Envigado. Envigado is most famous for lying at the heart of Medellín's drug trafficking operations. The heavy presence of armed groups in the municipality results in a fraught yet sustained peace, interrupted by infrequent moments of terrible violence. The club itself has suffered directly from such episodes. Former head coach Gustavo Upegui Lopez was killed whilst allegedly resisting a kidnapping attempt in 2006 and 19 year old midfielder Luis Eduardo Estrada Saldarriaga was shot and killed in 2008. While the potential for outbreaks of violence remains in the city, such instances are now relatively infrequent. The clubs ground is located towards the south of the city close to the Envigado's major metro station. They were promoted to the top tier of Colombian football in 2005 but were relegated the following season. The team bounced back and returned to Primera A in 2007 where they have remained to this day.
Despite the team's excellent results, free-flowing attacking football and incredible rise, their fan-base remains minuscule when compared to that of their neighbours. Envigado finished higher in last seasons league standings than either Atlético Nacional or Independiente Medellín, and yet it is a club treated with scorn or indifference by the majority of Antioqueños. The club lacks the history, prestige or size of their local rivals and are therefore dismissed as irrelevant. Furthermore, as a new club the team does not embody a particular ideology. Nacional and Medellín are clubs with an identity and association which is passed down through generations and spread within local communities. Envigado, on the other hand, seem to garner their support from the apathetic, disillusioned and a core of die hard fans who are passionate about the independence of their small city. The club's hardcore fans are known as pasión naranja and they are undoubtedly as committed those of either of their neighbours to the north. However, rather than directing and animating a sea of supporters, they more often than not account for the majority of those present at home games. I worked in Envigado for a year and I have met hundreds of Envigadeños, and yet only a dozen or so fans of the club.
So, despite all of the local indifference why is this small town club so important for the future of Colombian football? Well, while they may not attract much attention, the products of their youth academy certainly do. In the last ten years the club has produced more current Colombian internationals than any other side in the league. Some of Colombia's most talented players have made their began their careers Envigado in recent years, while seven of the members of the national team made their professional debuts for the club. Internationals such as Giovanni Moreno, Dorlan Pabón, James Rodríguez, Fredy Guarín, Mauricio Molino, Jairo Palomino, Gabriel Gómez, Gustavo Bolívar and Gerado Vallejo all got their first break at the tiny Estadio Polideportivo. The club continue to exceed expectations on a small budget and have recently produced some of the stars of Colombia's successful under-20 side. The current sides young stars include prolific striker John Córdoba and talented midfielder Yulián Mejía, while last season's star player Juan Fernando Quintero recently completed a move to Atlético Nacional.
Envigado Fútbol Club has made incredible strides since its formation in 1989. In recent seasons the side has consistently finished in the top half of the table, despite losing their strongest players at the end of each campaign, and this year they will represent Colombia in the Copa Sudamericana. The club will have to win titles to gain the respect of this football loving country for whom success is counted in estrellas. However, if the club continue to produce such exceptionally talented players there is no doubt that their young side may one day be able to realise this dream. That said, and despite the positives, without a distinct identity and local recognition the orange-clad Envigado fans will continue to be a rare sight around the town. So, while I may be del verde and feliz, I urge you to back Envigado's stylish young underdogs. Nacional may be tu papa but it is Envigado who are producing the exciting young talents who are making Colombian football a potential international force.
Giovanni Moreno
Currently of Racing in Argentina, Moreno made his professional debut for Envigado in 2006 at the age of 18. He played for the side 59 times and scored 24 goals, leading the club to promotion in 2007. Moreno finished as the highest goalscorer in both the first and second half of the season with 11 and 19 goals respectably. He made his international debut in 2008 and, when fit, has been a regular ever since. Moreno is an exceptionally talented number 10, who drops deep to collect the ball but continues to regularly find the net in the final third. Nicknamed 'El Flaco' by fans, he is tall and lanky, but shows good strength and superb control. He can elegantly slip past defenders and has scored numerous excellent long range efforts. Paris Saint-Germain, Sporting Lisbon, Juventus and AC Milan have all expressed an interest in the cultured striker.
Dorlan Pabón
Pabón made his Envigado debut aged 17 in 2006 and was part of the team which gained promotion the following year. He has since made nine appearances for the national side and he joined Atlético Nacional in 2010. Pabón is quick and strong, he has excellent technique and he is able to create openings for himself and others. He has also shown excellent composure in front of goal; against Bolivia in a vital World Cup qualifier he ran onto a through ball, faked to shoot, and then lifted the ball over the goalkeeper into the far corner. Boca Juniors and Independiente have both already expressed an interest in signing the talented striker who will lead the line for Nacional in this year's Copa Libertadores.
James Rodríguez
James, named after his father's favourite fictional British secret agent, broke into the Envigado side aged just 16 and made an immediate impact. Part of the club's 2007 promotion-winning side, Rodríguez scored 20 goals in 55 appearances over two years. Rodríguez moved to Argentina with Banfield aged just 18, where he continued to impress with his quick feet and skilful dribbling. Two years later Rodríguez moved to Porto for €5.1m, where he played alongside compatriot and former Envigado team-mate Fredy Guarín. The Colombian youngster played a key role in the Portuguese side's success, scoring a hat-trick in the 2010 Portuguese Cup final. The youngster has been the national side's best performer during recent World Cup qualifying matches; showing great maturity Rodríguez orchestrated the midfield and created opportunities with his creativity and vision.
Fredy Guarín
Fredy Guarín made his Envigado debut aged 18 in 2004. The hard-working defensive midfielder made 38 appearances for the club, whilst also enjoying two loan spells, first with Argentine giants Boca Juniors in 2005 and then with Saint-Etienne in 2006. In 2007 Guarín completed a permanent switch to the French club before he was snapped up by Porto in 2008. Guarín made 63 appearances for the club and won nine trophies in three seasons, including the Europa League in 2010. Since January 2012 Guarín has been playing for Inter and is currently a key member of the Colombian national side. Guarín has all of the qualities of the complete modern midfielder. While he works hard defensively and is excellent at breaking up attacks, he is also comfortable on the ball and can open up defences with his incisive passing. Unafraid to shoot at every opportunity, Guarín has also scored some wonderful long range efforts for club and country.
