Colombia striker Carlos Bacca picked up the award for best Spain’s best Latin player on Monday, beating celebrated nominees like Neymar and Angel di Maria.
The website LFP.es voted for the 28 year-old Colombian forward as the best player from the American continent in the last season.
The striker received the award at the 2014 LFP Awards Ceremony after a successful campaign in the Spanish league, where his team Sevilla FC finished fifth in the table and won the coveted Europa League trophy.
In the Liga BBVA, where he was a central cog in Sevillas’ attack for the coach Unai Emery, Bacca scored 14 goals in 35 matches and netted seven more in the continental competition.
Considered an outsider for the award, the striker from the Caribbean town of Puerto Colombia overcame the competition from the Brazilian wunderkind Neymar Jr. and the Argentine midfielder maestro Angel di Maria, formerly Real Madrid.
As a young soccer player in Colombia, Bacca had to work as a bus driver’s assistant, to earn money for himself and his poverty-stricken family. His humble origins echoed throughout his speech.
“First of all I want to give thanks to God, because he gave me this gift and this talent,” began the 28-year-old as he accepted his award.
“I also want to thank the directors at Sevilla, because in what was my first season with the club, everything went so well and I’m grateful to them. I want to thank my wife, my kids and especially, the coaching staff and all my team-mates. Without all of them, winning this award wouldn’t have been possible.” said Bacca.
The Colombian player joined Sevilla in the summer of 2013 after two prolific seasons at FC Brugge. In Andalusia, his right foot, strength and pace, as well as his instinct for goals helped him grow as a player, fans’ favorite and become one of the pillars of the Andalusian club for the coming years.
Sources
- Carlos Bacca, ‘Best American Player in the 2013-14 Liga BBVA’ (LFP.es)
- Bacca: Thanks to God, because he gave me this gift and talent (insidespanishfootball.com)