From six chemotherapies to making history with Colombia in the World Cup: Linda Caicedo, her incredible story and the record that Messi and Cristiano do not have

In the eight women’s World Cups that have been played so far, only one team had managed to beat Germany in the group stage: Sweden in 1995, in the tournament that was played at their home. And she achieved it thanks to the dribbling and mischief of Beautiful, the now star of Real Madrid who, at the age of 18, is conquering the world. And also for the agonizing goal of Manuela Venegas.

It was the perfect script for a movie that, for now, has a happy ending. Especially because of what Caicedo went through. In 2020, severe abdominal pain led to a diagnosis of ovarian cancer. He underwent surgery in April of that year and in September, after six chemos, he returned to Deportivo Cali training, and did so with a wig due to hair loss. “I was blessed to go through that difficult time that I had in my life”he says and thanks the support of his family and Nelson Abadía, coach of the Colombian national team with whom he enjoys football today.

Linda is playing her third World Cup with her country in just one year. Yes, 12 months ago, in August 2022, the young 18-year-old soccer player was playing in the Under 20 World Cup. Then, in October, she reached the Under 17 final and now she is playing the absolute appointment with the record of having scored in each of the events, a record for any footballer, including Messi and Cristiano, the two most important players of the last era of football.

The morning (South American time) of this Sunday, caicedo was established once again with a goal at the height of what it is: a crack. He grabbed a rebound in the box, cleared two Germans with some footwork and nailed it into the corner. At the end of the match, Alexandra Poppchampion of everything with Wolfsburg and one of the best in the world, came to congratulate her.

Where did she get the dribble and the shot for her great goal against Germany?, they asked her in the middle of the festivities., she answered, remembering when she was a girl and her first Christmas present that she asked her father for was “a ball and ‘ guayos’ (this is how chimpúnes are called in Colombia). And from when she began to practice soccer at Real Juanchito, in Villagorgona, the neighborhood where she grew up, with all men. It was the clear example that when there is talent, nothing else is needed.

He is 18 years old, already plays for Real Madrid and has written his own history in the World Cups. “I am an example that this can be overcome”he says and he is not wrong. The sure footsteps of her will be followed by thousands of girls in the world.

This is how his incredible record was built

It all started last year, in August, when Linda Caicedo traveled to Costa Rica as the great reference of the Colombian Under 20 team to play the World Cup of the category. In the contest, the attacker was a fundamental piece in ensuring that the coffee team finished as the leader of their group over Germany and New Zealand, two historically strong teams in women’s football. However, they were eliminated in the quarterfinals at the hands of Brazil.

Two months later, at the Under 17 World Cup in India in October, Linda shone again., this time facing players of the same age. Colombia finished as runner-up, thus achieving the best result in the history of soccer in that country, both in the men’s and women’s divisions. Linda scored four goals: a double against China, a goal against Mexico and another against Tanzania.

After that stellar performance, Linda began to attract the attention of the great teams in Europe (although Barcelona had been following her since 2019). From there, Caicedo began to follow the path that led her to the real Madrid.

But the record was completed in July of this year, when she arrived in Australia to play in the Senior Women’s World Cup. The Real Madrid attacker was the protagonist in Colombia’s debut and she scored one of the two goals in the victory against South Korea. In this way, the footballer got into the books of football history.