Yerry Mina #13

Profile

Despite his lankiness as a youngster, Mina wasn’t very good at heading the ball – something he would make up for later in life. He had trials at Deportivo Cali but didn’t make it. He also played for América de Cali, when he used to hitch a ride on lorries to save money on bus fares. He ended up at Deportivo Pasto where two of his teammates, Marlon Piedrahíta and Camilo Pérez, started to urge him to make the most of his lofty stature. By the time he signed for Santa Fe he was a major aerial presence. He played a key role in the Copa Sudamericana triumph in 2015 and earned a move to Palmeiras before a big break at Barcelona. He was Colombia’s top scorer at the 2018 World Cup, each of his three goals coming with his head, including a late equaliser against England in the last 16. After a five-year spell at Everton, 31-year-old has become a favourite in Sardinia.

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