Rodrigo Holgado, the new Harimau Malaya striker, who has stepped up to condemn the disrespectful comments made by Colombian journalist Bambino Quintero.
Quintero had earlier stirred controversy by belittling the Malaysian national team, even going as far as to claim the team “does not exist” and is “made up of amateur players.” His remarks sparked outrage among Malaysian football fans and players alike.
Romel Morales, currently playing for Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT), was among the first to clap back, saying:
“Malaysian football cannot be compared to Colombian football – that includes the national team,” Morales declared recently, standing firm in defense of his adopted country.
Now, Holgado, who recently joined the Harimau Malaya setup, responded strongly via a comment on Instagram, dismissing Quintero’s statements as nonsense.
“He has no right to talk about the league, he has no right to criticize players or belittle América (Holgado’s former club, América de Cali),” said the 29-year-old forward, as reported by Harimau Abroad.
“He’s just a journalist — and unfortunately, these types of disrespectful individuals exist. He’s never played football and doesn’t know what it feels like to be a player.”
🇨🇴 Rodrigo Holgado responded to a Colombian journalist's criticism of his decision to play for Malaysia. pic.twitter.com/OVlPcu12aU
Holgado is one of five new key players recently brought in to bolster the Malaysian national team under head coach Peter Cklamovski. The other newcomers include Jon Irazabal, Jon Figueiredo, Facundo Garcés, and Imanol Machuca — all part of an ambitious effort to strengthen the squad ahead of the crucial AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers.
