The Man Who Discovered Quiñones Remembers the Boy Who Dreamed of Scoring Away Poverty

When Julián Quiñones scored a pivotal goal for Mexico in the 2026 World Cup, César Augusto Valencia Trejos watched with pride from southwestern Colombia. Valencia, known as Papá César, founded Fútbol Paz two decades ago, an organization dedicated to training footballers from regions heavily impacted by violence and lack of opportunity. He first encountered Quiñones in 2014 when the then-teenager arrived in Cali from Magüí Payán with dreams of changing his family's fate.

"He was brought by a cousin to try out, and in the first training session, he scored four goals. That's when I realized I was in front of a different player," Valencia recalls. Fútbol Paz started with 30 players from rural areas and now mentors over 210 elite athletes from conflict-affected regions like Buenaventura, Quibdó, and Arauca.

Valencia emphasizes the organization's dual mission: "First, we form people, and then footballers. We want them to understand that sport can transform their lives, but also that they should be good human beings." Quiñones quickly demonstrated exceptional talent, becoming a key player in a national under-17 championship, scoring 48 goals in that tournament, including an astonishing 17 in a single match.

"He was a monster. He had power, quality, strength, and an impressive character. He always showed up when the team needed him most," the coach remembered. Quiñones' performance caught the attention of scouts from the Mexican club Tigres, leading to his move to Mexico, where he quickly made a name for himself, becoming the top scorer in the under-20 national tournament in his first year.

Quiñones went on to build a successful career in Mexican football with Tigres, Atlas, and América, winning titles and becoming one of the league's most prominent strikers before becoming a Mexican citizen and joining the national team. Valencia noted that Quiñones chose to represent Mexico to honor the opportunities the country provided him. Despite the demands of the World Cup, Quiñones and Valencia maintain regular contact, with the coach expressing awe at witnessing Quiñones' evolution and the realization of his dreams.

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Lo trajo un primo a hacer una prueba y en el primer entrenamiento hizo cuatro goles. Ahí me di cuenta que estaba frente a un jugador diferente.