Delilah Syndrome – Publimetro Colombia

It is curious what has happened with Ricardo Márquez. I say that it is unique because in some way, in the days of Harold Rivera as driver of Unión Magdalena, the striker stood out for his great expertise in the area and his constant vocation to not give a single option for loss. The second condition is still exhibited: he tries to go to each ball with ardent, so much so that sometimes in that excess of revolutions he goes out of hand in some clash with rivals and adversaries. He is a sanguine man. His first quality has been lost: scoring goals and celebrating in front of the fans.

He has been going through a strange moment for a long time: uncomfortable with the ball at his feet, erratic when it comes to making his virtue of scoring functional and although in recent times scoring opportunities have not abounded, the ones he has had have been wasted. That goal against America celebrated with anger, beyond the fact that that score was of no use directly due to the tie between Tolima and Alianza, which left Millonarios out of any possibility of reaching a final, paint their current moment, which is to be in the time that is not required. Or what the experts call, has the timing recast.

At the time, several clubs bid for his services and the figures that were handled around him were worthy of an attacker ready to break into the first world without problems. Right there, at the height of the wave, his qualities began to fade. He is fighting with the goal and with himself. That one hand in hand against Viera in Barranquilla, two headers against Envigado -one that sent directly to the moon and the other that went by centimeters when the panorama indicated that the choice was the direct headbutt rather than the combed to the far post- and a failure against Emelec, in the friendly against the Ecuadorian team, must have him nervous and thoughtful.

Is it then that syndrome experienced by some footballers who can only display their talent with a shirt? It has happened many times, for example with a soccer player who also knew how to forge himself in the hosts of the Magdalena Union: they called him “la puya” but his identity document said Luis Zuleta. As skilful as anyone else, with power of definition that made the long-suffering fans who gathered in the old Eduardo Santos delirious to wait for the Union to finally endorse that title from 1968, he began to have the interest of several more powerful teams than the Cyclon”. And Zuleta went to Medellin and Bogotá, cities in which that initial charm suddenly disappeared.

Then he had no alternative other than to return to his first love. And there he returned to being the same as he was lost when packing suitcases, he left the goals forgotten. Apparently only in Santa Marta could he be Samson.

In the next goal or in the next mistake we will prove or deny if Márquez is a victim of Delilah syndrome.