Carlos “El Pibe” Valderrama, the midfield magician who became a Colombian icon, is looking for a successor.
That might sound crazy, after watching this:
But he’s now part of an upcoming reality show called Sueño Futbol. According to RCN, the TV channel airing the show, he will be an active part of the coaching staff.
“What do these kids need? A chance to fulfill their dream,” says Valderrama in the promo video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPxGs5OG0zA
In fact, he’s not the only former Colombian star to take part in the show. Former coach Francisco Maturana, the guy on the bench for some of the most important moments in Colombian soccer (first Copa Libertadores for a Colombian team, 1990 and 1994 World Cups, 2001 Copa América among them) is in charge of the selection process. He has a stellar group of former players and active managers to help him find the next star. So far the process has been a success, with more than 21,000 youngsters between 16 and 18 showing their skills on practice fields all over the country.
Winning a soccer reality show doesn’t necessarily guarantee success in the professional futbol world. But Valderrama and Maturana will probably make for great scouts for talent that professional teams are not yet able to see, but desperately need.