Junior and the Delights | Column by Hugo Illera Jimenez

Someone asked me what the joy of being a fan of a team was. I think it’s identifying with a shirt, with a shield, looking for satisfaction and joy around that badge.

Words more, words less, what matters is seeking compensation through the joys your team can give you by winning matches and championships. Joy of winning things.

I wonder how long it has been since Junior de Barranquilla, despite his high economic investments and hiring players recognized for their achievements in other teams, does not give pleasure to those in which we get drunk with good football.

Junior has not been a League champion since 2019-1, he has not won a Cup since 2017, he has not won a Super League since 2020, in 1980 Junior went 18 games unbeaten, between 1975 and 1977 Junior set the current and unbeatable milestone of 48 consecutive games without losing, he won 30 of the 54 games played in 1968 anyway.

I traveled a long way to broadcast the Junior games and we did it with the assurance that the team would not lose. It is a unique feeling when you follow a large, close-knit team with consistently good results, at home or abroad.

Now that scoring a goal is an odyssey, I started looking at the Junior’s historic goals. For example 8-1 against Bucaramanga, 7-0 against Quindío, 6-0 against Cúcuta and Chicó, among others. Iván Valenciano scored 36 goals once this year.

In addition to these numerical data, there are mental and psychological issues, such as pride, respect for the institution and the fans. And that something of “when the powers decrease, the heart remains”. Ask captain Sebastián Viera about that, who has won 7 titles with the Barranquillero team.

The only decisive game with Tolima is coming up to continue in the Copa Sudamericana. What a good time to relive the joys with Junior from Barranquilla. Those joys that seem to have been taken away by the wind…