Javier Hernández Bonnet analyzes the Colombian National Team for the Copa América

When asked about the team’s expectations in the Copa América, Hernández is cautious. He does not consider it a failure not to reach the final, but rather an opportunity to learn and continue growing.

“The word failure means that you can say you failed when you give up on your own dreams,” he points out. He emphasizes that the real challenge is to get up and keep fighting after a defeat.

On the topic of the undefeated, Hernández offers an interesting perspective: he prefers that the undefeated be lost before the official competitions. “I love the undefeated to lose before the official competitions,” he comments, remembering an anecdote from the 1994 World Cup.

An important Copa América for Colombia

For Hernández Bonnet, the Copa América comes at a particularly delicate moment for Colombia. The deep political polarization and the accumulated frustrations in society turn football, and specifically the Colombian National Team, into a kind of national “sedative.” “This is a country that is in the midst of great frustrations,” says Hernández, highlighting the importance of managing emotions with balance. “It seems that the only sedative there is is the Colombian National Team.”

The journalist emphasizes the need to be careful in the language used during broadcasts.

“It forces us to be very judicious in language, without losing emotion,” he says. The mission is to avoid extremes: neither glorify a victory in an exaggerated way nor destroy the team after a defeat. This balanced approach is not only vital for the audience, but also for the country at large, which requires moments of unity and hope.

Gol Caracol’s focus on broadcasts

For years, Gol Caracol has taken a distinctive approach to its sports broadcasts, one that combines respect for the audience with accessible language. Hernández Bonet explains that this style was developed after the 2002 World Cup, when a significant increase in the female audience was observed. “From that experience, women began to understand us,” she says, referring to how they managed to keep their partners watching games at home instead of going out.

This strategy led Gol Caracol to work in a language that was understandable to everyone, without sacrificing sporting precision. “We managed to combine simple language, without moving away from the reality that the game showed,” he adds. This approach has been key to differentiating itself from the competition and attracting a broader audience.

The incorporation of new analysts, such as Professor Rafael Dudamel, is also part of this process. Hernández highlights how they train these experts to adopt accessible language. “There is a table here that is our audience,” he explains.

Most people are interested in being told things simply, in being told more about the game than about tactical complexes.

The truth is that this will be a Copa América for Colombia. There is a strong atmosphere of favoritism in the country. The streak of 23 consecutive games without losing, added to the good football shown by Néstor Lorenzo’s team, excites the fans of the ‘tricolor’. However, they will have to show it on the field.