Soccer legend Carlos Valderrama has become a candidate for Colombia’s upcoming congressional elections in 2014, reported local media on Thursday.
The former captain of Colombia’s national team was nominated on the U Party’s list for the Senate.
“Having played so many games with Colombia’s national team, this time I’m going to play the best game of my life with the U Party for the country’s Senate,” said Valderrama with regards to his nomination, inviting “all the people of Colombia to support us: the U Party and President [Juan Manuel] Santos. For peace! Colombia needs it.”
Valderrama was the backbone of Colombia’s dream team of the early 1990s, leading the national selection in three world cups; apart from his extraordinary skills on the field, he also gained international fame for displaying his exceptional blond afro hairdo.
The director of the U Party, Sergio Diaz Granados, welcomed the new candidate, saying that he expects Valderrama and other candidates to support the policies of Santos in the 2014-2018 term.
“[The politics] are focused on three cornerstones: the peace process, eradication of poverty and creation of jobs,” stressed the party’s director.
Colombia will take to the polls to elect a new congress in March.