José René Higuita (41), the legendary Colombian goalie that was able to score over 40 times during his career, still dreams of returning to the goal of Colombia’s national team, he said in an exclusive interview with Colombia Reports.
Higuita, also known as “El Loco,” now plays for Colombian second division club Deportivo Rionegro, but wants to first return to Colombia’s first division and then, again, the national team.
“Despite my age I am still learning. With God’s help I may be able to return to the first division and again be selected for the national team. I have the motivation and I work hard to return to the national team and I will always aspire being the national goalkeeper,”he said.
Higuita’s ambitions exceed defending Colombia’s goal again. “The day I retire as keeper, I hope I can be part of Colombia’s technical staff. I got my trainer’s license in Mexico, but I’m also thinking about politics, with a focus on sports.”
Higuita, who was born in raised in a poor neighborhood in the west of Colombia’s second largest city Medellin, already is socially active.
“Whenever possible I try to do social work,” he says, “but there’s a lot more I could do politically. With my background and knowledge I know how sports is the most basic of all. it involves health and education. I’ve also spent time in jail and know how at least 30 or 40 percent of the delinquents leave prison more screwed up than when they entered. Prisoners are not rehabilitated and they are not taught the value they have as individuals.”