Oh Freddy, Where Did It All Go Wrong?

One of Colombia's all-time greats, Freddy Rincon, has been arrested in Brazil under suspicion of laundering drug money. Panama is looking to extradite Rincon after his name came up in an investigation centered around international drug trafficking and money laundering. The money supposedly belongs to a narcotraficante from Colombia, Pablo Rayo Montano.

Montano was also taken into custody in Brazil, though that was in an operation led by the U.S. a year ago. Rincon has been trying to convince anybody who'll listen, that although he's known Montano since they were kids, he had no idea his childhood buddy had anything to do with illegal drugs.

It's a sad state to see Rincon in, it seems like just yesterday that he was playing in the great Colombian side of the 90s. I'll never forget watching him score the last minute equalizer against the West Germans at Italia '90 or taking part in the historic 5-0 win over Argentina in Buenos Aires to qualify for USA '94. What a sad ending to a career that brought so much joy to my Colombian household.

Former Colombian national team captain Rincon arrested in Brazil [International Herald Tribune]

-ac