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Jhon Viáfara

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In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Viáfara and the second or maternal family name is Mina.
Jhon Viáfara
Viáfara with Deportivo Cali in 2014
Personal information
Full name Jhon Eduis Viáfara Mina
Date of birth (1978-10-27) 27 October 1978 (age 46)
Place of birth Robles, Colombia
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999 Deportivo Pasto 44 (2)
2000–2001 América de Cali 37 (0)
2001–2002 Deportivo Pasto 18 (0)
2002–2005 Once Caldas 114 (9)
2005–2006 Portsmouth 14 (1)
2006 → Real Sociedad (loan) 11 (0)
2006–2008 Southampton 76 (5)
2008–2009 Once Caldas 49 (3)
2010 La Equidad 35 (5)
2011 Atlético Junior 4 (0)
2011 Deportivo Pereira 17 (4)
2012 La Equidad 19 (4)
2012–2013 Independiente Medellín 35 (2)
2013–2014 Deportivo Cali 43 (0)
2015 Rionegro Águilas 5 (0)
Total 521 (35)
International career
2003–2010 Colombia 34 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Jhon Eduis Viáfara Mina (born 27 October 1978) is a Colombian former footballer who played as a midfielder.

He was part of the Once Caldas team that won the Copa Libertadores in 2004, and later played in Europe for rivals Portsmouth and Southampton in England, and Real Sociedad in Spain. With the Colombia national team, he went to the Copa América in 2004 and 2007.

In 2020, he was extradited to the United States to face charges of drug trafficking. He was convicted and sentenced to 11 years in U.S. federal prison.[1][2]

Football career

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Early career

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Born in the Colombian town of Robles, Viáfara came to international attention whilst playing for Once Caldas, for whom he was instrumental during his club's success in the 2004 Copa Libertadores, scoring with a long range strike in the final against Boca Juniors.[3]

Portsmouth

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His performances made him a regular in the Colombia national football team, and earned him a €2.2 million move to English club Portsmouth on 23 June 2005.[4]

He played 14 league matches under Alain Perrin at Portsmouth, scoring one league goal, in a 2–1 loss at Manchester City on 27 August.[5] Perrin was sacked and Viáfara was dropped by returned-manager Harry Redknapp.

On 30 January 2006, Viáfara was loaned for six months to Spanish club Real Sociedad of La Liga, along with Mark González of Liverpool.[6] At the end of this deal, Real declined the chance to purchase Viáfara and he returned to Portsmouth again,[7] after 11 matches played and two red cards.

Southampton

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On 4 August 2006 he signed a three-year deal with Portsmouth's south-coast rivals Southampton of the Football League Championship. The transfer fee for the three-year deal was undisclosed, but is believed to be in the region of £750,000.[8] He appeared consistently in the 2006–07 season. He scored two goals in the Championship Play-off Semi-final Second Leg against Derby County on 15 May 2007, although it was not enough as Derby went on to win the tie in a penalty shootout.[9]

In July 2008, manager Jan Poortvliet dropped Viáfara who was homesick and negotiating a move back to Once Caldas.[10]

Return to Colombia

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After Viáfara's return to Once Caldas the team's fortunes improved, they won their third Colombian league championship in Apertura 2009.[11]

In 2010, he joined La Equidad and helped them to reach the final of the Apertura 2010 tournament as well as reaching the playoff stages of the Clausura 2010.[12]

In 2011, he was signed by Junior and got off to an excellent start, scoring vital goals in both of the side's first two games in the Copa Libertadores 2011 group stages.[13] He retired from football in 2015.[14]

International career

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Viáfara went to the Copa América with Colombia in 2004 and 2007.[15] He scored his only international goal on 25 March 2007 in a 3–1 friendly victory over Switzerland in Miami.[16]

International goals

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Source:[17]

International goals
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 25 March 2007 Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, United States   Switzerland 1–2 1–3 Friendly

Honours

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América de Cali

Once Caldas

Drug trafficking conviction

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On 19 March 2019, Viáfara was arrested in Cali for drug traffic and cocaine exportation to the United States.[14] He was extradited to the US in January 2020, where he denied allegations of being in the Clan del Golfo.[18]

It was heard in court that Viáfara had been identified by the Drug Enforcement Administration in 2017, based on intelligence shared with Colombia, Panama and Costa Rica. He used the aliases "Futbolista" (Footballer), "Goleador" (Goalscorer) and "Makelele".[1] He was indicted by a grand jury in June 2018.[1] In March 2021, he was convicted and sentenced to 135 months in U.S. federal prison.[1][2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Colombian Soccer Star Sentenced in the Eastern District of Texas for Conspiracy to Import Cocaine into the United States". U.S. Department of Justice. 1 April 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Colombia midfielder Viafara gets 11 years on US drug charge". Associated Press. 1 April 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  3. ^ "Golazo: Jhon Viáfara vs Boca Juniors, Copa Libertadores final 2004". Southamerican-futbol.blogspot.com. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  4. ^ "Viafara heads to Portsmouth". UEFA.com. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  5. ^ "Man City 2-1 Portsmouth". BBC. 27 August 2005. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
  6. ^ "La Real Sociedad presenta a Viáfara y Mark González | Mercafutbol - Noticias de rumores y fichajes de fútbol". Mercafutbol.com. 30 January 2006. Archived from the original on 30 July 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  7. ^ "Viafara will return to Portsmouth". BBC News. 13 June 2006.
  8. ^ "Southampton sign Viafara & Licka". BBC News. 4 August 2006.
  9. ^ Henderson, Charlie (15 May 2007). "Derby secure play-off final berth". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  10. ^ "Saints unsure of Viafara future". BBC Sport. 25 July 2008. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  11. ^ "Colombia 2009". Rsssf.com. 29 January 2010. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  12. ^ "Colombia 2010". Rsssf.com. 10 January 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  13. ^ "What ever happened to? Jhon Viáfara". Southamerican-futbol.blogspot.com. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  14. ^ a b "Jhon Viáfara: Ex-Premier League footballer in drug trafficking arrest". BBC News. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  15. ^ "Former Colombia footballer Viafara arrested over drug trafficking". France 24. 20 March 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  16. ^ "Colombia venció 3-1 a Suiza en amistoso disputado en Miami" [Colombia beat Switzerland 3-1 in a friendly held in Miami] (in Spanish). Caracol. 25 March 2007. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  17. ^ Jhon Viáfara at National-Football-Teams.com
  18. ^ "Jhon Viáfara: extraditan a Estados Unidos al exfutbolista de la selección colombiana acusado de narcotráfico" [Jhon Viáfara: ex-Colombia national team footballer accused of drug trafficking is extradited to the United States] (in Spanish). BBC News. 24 January 2020. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
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