The Alberto Gamero Era: The Resurrection of Millonarios F.C. in Colombian Soccer

In 2020, Millonarios opted for a long-term process when it hired technical director Alberto Gamero. The man born in Santa Marta stood out as a coach at Boyacá Chicó and at Deportes Tolima. With the Boyacá team he won a league title and with the Tolima team he won a Copa Colombia title and a League title, which helped him land in the club of the capital. However, his process did not materialize league titles despite gaining ground in other fields. Now, with the long-awaited league success, what has been done in his three years at the helm of the 'Embajador' squad and the importance it has for Colombian soccer is valued.

Timeline of the Gamero era

The 2020 season for Gamero in Millionarios was a resounding failure after the world stoppage due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There, he failed to consolidate himself in the national team and was eliminated in the second phase of the Copa Sudamericana at the hands of Deportivo Cali. In contrast, the 2021 season began to show sketches of what the Gamero era would be like in Millionarios: solidity in the national environment, when he achieved a bittersweet runner-up and when he was on the brink of a second consecutive final.

After this, the 2022 season meant a hard blow in each of the 6-months leagues, this was the origin of the doubts. Due to his great campaigns in the first phase of the tournament and his resounding failures in the final rounds. However, Gamero's Millonarios won the Copa Colombia title, which somewhat alleviated the series of league failures.

Finally, the 2023 season began with disappointments at the international level for the Gamero era in Millionarios. There, they were eliminated in the third qualifying phase of the Copa Libertadores with Atlético Mineiro from Brazil. The team then fell in the group stage of the Copa Sudamericana, below Defensa y Justicia from Argentina and América MG from Brazil. However, the first half of the 2023 season meant the cup resurrection of Millonarios due to the fulfillment of the great objective in the middle of the year: the league title, which ended a five-and-a-half-year streak of league drought for the club.

Monetary gains in the Gamero era

Despite failing in international cups in the first half of the 2023 season, Millonarios managed to earn a large amount of money. There, the 'Ambassador' team managed to add more than $2,300,000 USD ($9,500 million Colombian pesos, approximately) distributed as follows: $500,000 USD for participating in the second preliminary phase of Copa Libertadores, $600,000 USD for participating in the third preliminary phase of the Copa Libertadores, $900,000 USD for participating in the group stage of the Copa Sudamericana and $300,000 USD for having won three matches in the Copa Sudamericana.

On the other hand, obtaining the Colombian League title meant a prize of $500,000 USD (approximately two billion Colombian pesos) for Millonarios from Conmebol. Likewise, with the league title he secured $3,000,000 USD ($12,500 million pesos, approximately) for participating in the group stage of the Copa Libertadores 2024, plus the $300,000 USD that he can pocket for each game won in said competition.

Sale and projection of players in the Gamero era

Since Alberto Gamero reached Millionarios in 2020, the capital club made several important sales of players to foreign soccer. For example, at the beginning of 2023 he sold winger Carlos Andrés Gómez to Salt Lake of the United States MLS for approximately $3.49 million euros. Likewise, at the beginning of 2022 he sold Emerson Rodríguez to Inter Miami of the United States MLS for approximately $2.49 million euros.

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Similarly, in mid-2021 the team sold striker Cristian Arango to Los Angeles FC of the United States MLS for approximately $2.27 million euros. Likewise, they transferred the Venezuelan goalkeeper Wuilker Faríñez for approximately $1.5 million euros to Lens of France. Finally, the team gave up the midfielder Daniel Ruíz for one million dollars to Santos from Brazil with a purchase option that, if carried out, would mean a total income of $4 million dollars for Millionarios.

In addition, Millionarios projects several players to obtain sporting and monetary achievements. For example, the future sale of the youthful Óscar Cortés to Lens of France is expected, in an agreement that would be around $4 million dollars. In the same way, it is expected to make a lot of money with the future sales of players who watch from foreign leagues, such as the center-backs Andrés Llinás and Juan Pablo Vargas. Finally, Alberto Gamero will continue to promote brilliant promises such as Beckham David Castro, Luis Paredes, Yuber Quiñonez, Juan David Torres, Edgar Guerra and Ramiro Brochero, among others. The Gamero era in Millionarios finally bore sporting fruits that matched the monetary successes, filling with illusion about the future of the 'Ambassador' box.