President Juan Manuel Santos received the Colombian Under-20 soccer team at the presidential palace Friday.
In anticipation of the U-20 World Cup, Santos spoke to the team and to fans around the country about the excitement and responsibility that comes with hosting the tournament.
“It is one opportunity –I repeat– only one. The world press will be watching what happens at each one of the games, in each one of the cities and to transmit it will reflect what this country is: a wonderful country, an enthusiastic country and a country eager to tell the world that we can more than fulfill this responsibility to host the biggest sporting event of the year.”
With representatives from FIFA and the president of the Colombian Football Federation in attendance, Santos gave the Colombian flag to the national team.
After the speech, the president invited the players and coach to watch “Invictus,” an Academy Award winning movie about national unity in South Africa during the World Rugby tournament in 1995.