Hero Henao's final bow
Thursday 9 December 2004
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Juan Carlos Henao in typical pose (Getty Images)
The Copa Libertadores is often decided on penalties. So it is hardly a surprise that goalkeepers frequently emerge as the tournament heroes. It certainly happened this year when the winner's last line of defence was the first to be singled out for praise.
Penalty hero
CD Once Caldas' 32-year-old keeper Juan Carlos Henao was the undisputed star of the 2004 Copa Libertadores. He saved two penalties in the decisive shoot out against CA Boca Juniors, who had previously been so formidable from the spot.
Crucial presence
He made a match-winning stop in the second round shoot out against Barcelona of Guayaquil. He was an ever-present in the competition, and was beaten just ten times in 14 games. He made athletic saves at vital moments, and his charismatic presence helped to inspire his team-mates and convince them that a provincial club from Colombia could really go all the way.
Higuita comparison
With long, dark curly hair, a relatively short stature for his position, acrobatics and confidence, there is more than a passing resemblance between Henao and his illustrious compatriot René Higuita, who was in goal for Atlético Nacional in 1989, the only previous occasion that a Colombian side had won South America's premier club title.
Debt to legend
Nacional's triumph also came on penalties, with Higuita making an extraordinary four saves (plus scoring himself) in the epic shoot out against CA Olimpia of Paraguay. The similarity between the two is no coincidence, and Henao is quick to acknowledge his debt. "Rene made a powerful impression on my generation," he said. "With him on the field we all understood that a football team was not made up of ten players and a goalkeeper, but of eleven players, each with equal possibilities of making a contribution. I might not dribble the ball out of defence as much as him, but I have my own history. Until 1989 I played as a striker for a team in Medellin."
Top form
The last twelve years though - interrupted by just a brief loan spell at Bucaramanga - have been spent in Manizales defending the goal of Caldas. It has taken over a decade of solid service for Henao to become an overnight sensation. "What happened was that my team-mates and I all hit top form together," he explained. "We had to be at our best both individually and collectively. If we hadn't achieved this state of grace then it would have been all but impossible form us to win the Libertadores. We were the underdogs against Santos [FC], São Paulo [FC] and Boca, but we overcame them all without losing a single game. That really shows how solid we were."
International call-up
Henao has not let his standards slip. His Libertadores performances won him a call up to the Colombian national team, and he was the first-choice keeper as they made it to the semi finals of July's Copa América. After a brief break for holidays he was back at his best in Caldas' domestic campaign, conceding less than a goal a game in the Colombian league.
Porto farewell
His focus has been on making sure that his good form keeps going until the FC Porto game, which could be his last for Once Caldas. Henao's displays this year have put him in the shop window, and he would relish the chance of a move abroad. All that remains, then, is to give the fans in Manizales one final reminder of the heroics of Juan Carlos Henao.
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