EXCLUSIVE: Asprilla on World Cup memories and Colombia's expectations

With Parma he won everything – from the Cup Winners’ Cup to the UEFA Super Cup and the UEFA Cup. With Newcastle, he experienced an unforgettable night in the Champions League thanks to his legendary hat-trick against Barcelona, and with Colombia, he made his mark with a brace in the historic 5-0 win over Argentina in the heart of Buenos Aires.

Asprilla, who represented his country at the 1994 World Cup in the United States and the 1998 World Cup in France, was a key figure in the golden era of Colombian football.

What did you take away from Colombia’s recent friendlies just before the start of the World Cup?

"The problem with friendlies so close to the start of the tournament is that they don’t allow for in-depth analysis. The players already have their minds on the World Cup and don’t want to take unnecessary risks. These matches are more like training sessions where both teams are just trying to find their rhythm. Honestly, there’s not much more to say."

What are your expectations for Colombia at this World Cup?

"Traditionally, only the best is expected from Colombia. The players have to give everything on the pitch to bring great joy to their people, who really need it."

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has included Colombia among the 10 strongest teams in the tournament. How far do you think Néstor Lorenzo’s side can go?

"Well, even the bookmakers have Colombia among the eleven contenders for the title. It’s not exactly news, but if the coach of the reigning world champions gives the team this kind of credit, it gives the players a huge motivational boost. However, the Colombian national team shouldn’t set any specific limits, but should try to go as far as possible. You have to take it one match at a time."

You have a lot of experience at this level: how do you rate Colombia’s attack?

"Colombia comes into the tournament with two or three extremely prolific strikers. Our two centre-forwards Jhon Córdoba and Luis Suárez together with Luis Díaz are full of confidence. They’re scoring for fun at their clubs and we all hope they can replicate those numbers for the national team, especially at this World Cup."

In your opinion, is Luis Díaz among the best in the world in his position?

"I’m absolutely convinced that in his position he’s among the top two or three in the world. Along with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from PSG, he was one of the absolute stars of last season."

A recurring topic remains James Rodríguez. How do you assess a player before such an important tournament if he’s lacked consistency in recent months?

"I don’t know how the coach plans to manage James at the World Cup. He’s played very little for his club and hasn’t been on the pitch for about a month. But as we saw against Costa Rica, James doesn’t always have to be at the centre of play. With just one moment of brilliance, he can provide a decisive assist or win a match on his own. That’s exactly what we expect from him now."

What’s your overall feeling about this World Cup? Who are your favourites and who could be a surprise?

"It’s going to be an extremely long and demanding World Cup. Honestly, I think many of the participating teams are unnecessary. 48 teams is really too many, but we have to accept it now. In the group stage, we’ll see some great matches, but also games that will probably be rather boring."

The group of title contenders remains unchanged: they are the nations that have already won the World Cup. All the others are simply outsiders trying to break into this exclusive club. For me, the favourites are always those who already have the World Cup trophy on their badge."

What do you think of the new rules? For example, the 10-second limit for substitutions and other measures now being introduced…

"Let’s see how it works in practice – for now it’s just an experiment. There’s always an attempt to reduce injustices in football, but in the end, ways are still found to favour the big nations and penalise the smaller ones. That, in football, will probably never change."

There are also new guidelines on behaviour on the pitch, such as the ban on covering your mouth while talking. Do you think this could affect players during the 90 minutes?

"To be honest, I don’t get it. These days, there’s an attempt to radically change football in every way. Yet the sport should be expressed on the pitch – with real emotions, celebrations, and even a bit of trash talk between players. Personally, I preferred football the way it used to be. We’ll see what this World Cup brings and how things develop."

Since you mentioned football from the past, which current player reminds you most of Faustino Asprilla in action?

"Today’s football is almost impossible to compare to back then, it’s a completely different world. Players can’t really be compared to those from my generation. But if I had to choose, maybe Kylian Mbappé, because of his running style. I see myself in that, as I also relied a lot on speed. He’s a bit like me, even though Mbappé is on another level. His instinct for goal is simply phenomenal, you have to acknowledge that without envy."

Newcastle and the unforgettable Barcelona hat-trick

You’re among the few strikers who can say: "I knocked Barcelona out of the Champions League with a hat-trick." Looking back, what does that achievement mean to you?

"It was one of the most memorable matches in the club’s history, Newcastle’s very first game in the top European competition. They’re wonderful memories. You don’t get to score three goals against Barcelona every day. It was without doubt one of the best nights of my entire career."