In the days of Richard Páez and César Farias, the explosion of Venezuelan scoring abroad was a phenomenon never seen before in national football. National quarry players arrived in Spain, Italy, England, France, Germany, Portugal, Argentina and Brazil as an expression of promise leading up to the World Cup. They were, to put it more plainly, Juan Arango’s years initially at Mallorca and then at Borussia Mönchengladbach, and Salomón Rondón at Union Deportiva Canarias and later in Russian, English and Chinese football.

Like flowers in spring, boys sprung up all over the country. Some of them played in the most prestigious leagues in the football universe, and all that was missing was the push to reach the World Cup Eden. But, it is not known why, without reasons that fully explain it, it has never been possible to place a pike at the site where the greatest event was in dispute.

However, the spread has not stopped. The Creole diaspora, beyond national boundaries, has continued over time, and today, 167 of the Creoles (one more, one less) populate five continents of the planet’s territory. It is breath-taking to know that some of them, such as Yangel Herrera and Darwin Machis, play ball in the Spanish first division and Tomas Rincón does so in Italy, because they have overcome the inconveniences of a continent that demands and demands every weekend. does the test.

But the first division of elite football isn’t all there is to look at. Venezuela must have more players abroad than some South American countries, but we have to see where and under what conditions: how much can they earn in some of the lesser known circuits? Taking youngsters to the leagues of Bangladesh (Daniel Fables, son of the recalled Pedro, is one of them), Armenia, Albania, the United States third division or the Dominican Republic, to name a few less prestigious ones, is not the same. is.. so saying “167” makes noise, but you should look at the context around them.

Some of these players go on to defend the first-class jersey; Many of them play in the second, third, fourth and even fifth divisions in remote locations. and, moreover, some of them are descendants, born in this country but descended from Europeans; They are also Venezuelans for FIFA, unless they themselves decide to play for their parents’ country of origin.

Therefore it is not so easy to talk about the number of Creoles in the world; In a way it is playing innocently, to the fervor of patriotism. However, footballers cannot be criticized, because each one of them, with their own way of conceiving football and the game, wants to live up to the illusion of getting into the universal football heaven. As the Spanish say, “Each master with his manual”.

Those pioneers…

It is said, and it is true, that Franklin Alleyne was the first Venezuelan to play abroad. In those days, in the 50s, the guy appeared in Spain and Portugal and there he played in the first division. After a few years, Raphael Dudamel was the only one to cross the borders at that time; He jealously guarded the goal of Deportivo Cali, and with that team he reached the final of the Copa Libertadores.

As time went on, it was Stalin Rivas who convinced Anderlecht with his magic. This club sent him to the boom of the second division with hopes placed on the Guyanese, but his rebelliousness, his way of being, was a stone on his way. He returned to play with Caracas after a $150,000 deal, never to return to Europe.

So far the short story of the pioneers, those who opened the ball and the goals for their compatriots.

in tips

France

Nantes Osvaldo Vizcarrondo (center), Fernando Aristegueta (attack) and Gabriel Cicero (flank) were the “invaders” who arrived in Nantes together.

England

While Juan Arango was winning in Germany, Liverpool’s interest in the midfielder continued to circulate. It was a conversation that never came.

Brazil

Football in the country came as a surprise when Alexandre “Little” Rondón was called up by São Paulo, at a time when there were no Creoles.

portugal

Herbert Marquez went to Maritimo de Funchal instead of the local Maritimo. He was there for a year, at a time when it was rare to see anyone from here.

Venezuela

Many Venezuelans of the 60s and 70s only played in the country. There was no figure of the merchant who would take them to other latitudes.