Most people who were aware of the 1994 World Cup at the time remember the name Andres Escobar*. If they don’t, his story still resonates with them. He played for Colombia and is best known for being murdered after scoring an own goal in the tournament. Several drug kingpins were upset with him for causing Colombia to crash out of the competition after losing 2-1 to the US. Let’s just say they had a bit of money riding on Colombia making the second round.

Players, managers and team officials in many countries are used to threats from fans and gamblers when results don’t go their way. Here’s video of ultras protesting Roma’s horrific 4-3 loss to Genoa at their Trigonia training ground on Sunday.

Fans expressing their disappointment by way of pyrotechnics or beatings is expected. Pre-meditated murder is not. Carlos Noe Gomez, vice-president of Guatelmalan team Deportivo Xinabajul was shot and killed after leaving a team meeting last Friday. He received death threats related to the team’s performance prior to his death. They’re currently at the bottom of the league. One has to imagine it’s going to be hard to fill that opening.

If that’s not bad enough, a player from another team was found “chopped up and left in five plastic bags in a rural area with a note saying the player had been killed for ‘messing with other women’” back in November.

Incidents like these make people wish for the good old days of Arkan. At least he was predictable.

*Far be it for us to recommend watching anything on ESPN but you’re missing out if you haven’t seen “The Two Escobars” yet.

** We’re just seeing this now but apparently Salvador Cabanas is back in training. Did we mention he still has a bullet lodged in his brain?

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