Neiser Villarreal did not want to go to the U-20 World Cup because of what he experienced in Millonarios: César Torres confessed

Neiser Villarreal celebrates the triplet with which Colombia reached the semifinals of the U-20 World Cup.

Photo: EFE – Benjamín Hernández

Neiser Villarreal is the most popular name this Sunday in Colombian soccer. The forward of the U-20 team became a hero after scoring a hat trick in the 3-2 victory over Spain, which gave Colombia passage to the semifinals of the 2025 World Cup in Chile.

His three goals sealed an unforgettable comeback, although the joy is not complete: the scorer will miss the match against Argentina due to an accumulation of yellow cards, a significant loss for the team led by César Torres.

The Millonarios attacker, who will soon play with Cruzeiro of Brazil, He already has five goals in the tournament, which makes him the top scorer of the U-20 World Cup. In the round of 16, he was also decisive: he scored a double in the 3-1 victory against South Africa and kept the hope alive. Villarreal has been the Colombian figure with a decisive impact.

César Torres' confession about Neiser Villarreal

After the victory against Spain, coach César Torres revealed an unknown detail that surprised several: Neiser Villarreal did not want to go to the World Cup.

The coach confessed that the forward was going through a moment of deep frustration because of what he experienced in recent months at Millonarios, when he was criticized by the fans and separated from the team after a controversy that marked his season.

“He is a beast, an animal, but he is human and very noble. Everyone loves him, everyone loves him. I'll tell you an anecdote: when the thing with the América shirt happened, he wrote to me crying and told me that he didn't deserve to go to the national team, that he didn't want to come, that he was very frustrated,” Torres said.

The coach said that he had to insist several times to convince him to join the concentration. “I called him many times and told him that he was the team's top scorer, that he should recover and that the team was waiting for him with open arms. That's why his tears are, behind the player there is a human being who suffers,” Torres explained. Furthermore, he clarified the controversy that surrounded the footballer: “When he put on the shirt, he put it on for Kener and Cavadía, in solidarity, not to challenge the Millonarios fans.”

What happened to Neiser Villarreal in Millonarios?

The controversy the coach referred to occurred in August, when a viral video showed Villarreal wearing an América de Cali shirt during a live broadcast on social networks. The incident generated outrage among Millonarios fans, who questioned his professionalism, and led the club to sanction him. Amid the pressure, the player apologized publicly and explained the reason for the misunderstanding, but his sporting situation was put on hold.

“I did it without the intention of offending anyone,” Villarreal explained in a video published on his accounts. “On August 14, while watching the Pereira vs. América match, I did a live show using the shirt of a team other than the one I belong to, because my friend and teammate on the national team, José Cavadía, had given it to me.”

The forward tried to clarify that there was no provocation or intention to disrespect the Bogotá fans, but the controversy was already too advanced. In addition, to that case was added the negotiation of his contract with the albiazul, which was chaotic and led to the player leaving for Brazil free.

The player also recognized his mistake with humility. “This was without thinking about the consequences and offenses it could cause. I know that I made the fans, my teammates and members of Millonarios uncomfortable. That is why I accept the seriousness of the mistake made and I understand the anger. It is human to make mistakes, but it is also human to recognize mistakes,” he expressed in the statement at the time.

For several months, Villarreal lived in silence and was marginalized from several first team calls, which led him to a difficult personal moment. “These days have been very hard for me. I deeply regret that due to my attitudes and the sanction received I cannot help the club. It hurt me, but I learned,” he wrote then. Despite the punishment, César Torres and the Colombian Football Federation trusted him and supported him to join the World Cup roster.

Villarreal responded to Torres' trust

That vote of confidence became history. Villarreal responded with goals, commitment and leadership. His tears in Talca, after scoring three goals against Spain, not only symbolize sporting glory, but also the personal redemption of a player who went from criticism to global recognition.

After the game, Villarreal himself spoke with emotion: “Very happy with the classification. We have not made history, as teacher César Torres said; that is going to happen when we take the Cup home.” And he added, with the maturity of someone who learned to overcome: “We are a family, we are united as a group. This triumph belongs to everyone.”

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