Cristian Bonilla retires from the courts at just 28 years old

Cristian Bonilla, who was projected years ago by the sports press as one of the goalkeepers who could replace David Ospina on the portico of the Colombian national team, announced his retirement from football on April 3.

Among the arguments of the 28-year-old from Manizala for taking a step aside in football is the lack of motivation to continue competitively, as well as the need to take on some business in Miami; he explained this in conversation with Caracol Radio. “One day I woke up and said, it was good and I decided to retire,” he said.

Although Bonilla did not have minutes of play with the senior team, he was summoned by José Néstor Pékerman to guard the portico. Of course, he defended the tricolor jersey in three youth world cups: Nigeria 2009 (U17 category), Colombia 2011 (U-20) and Turkey 2013 (U-20).

Before Caracol Radio, the one who reported on the retirement of the cancerbero was San Antonio FC, from the second division of football in the United States. The club's press release reads Bonilla's farewell words:

As for San Antonio, the farewell words for the Colombian goalkeeper were: “Since signing with the club in January, Bonilla has started all three SAFC games, scoring nine saves and recording a clean sheet in the season-opening victory over Detroit City FC on March 12. The club thanks Cristian for his contributions and wishes him luck in his future endeavors.”

Although Bonilla's most renowned title was the 2016 Copa Libertadores, with Atlético Nacional, playing with Verdolaga he also won four leagues, three cups and two super leagues. Meanwhile, at the national team level he won a South American U-20 (2013) and an Esperanzas Tournament in Toulon (2011).

Cristian Bonilla, who was at Millonarios in 2020, realized how being there he was not given the confidence to continue defending the arc. Prior to the start of this season, on the VBar program, on Caracol Radio, he commented:

His words would have to do with the fact that in 2020, when he arrived at the Bogotá club after the departure of Wuilker Faríñez and Jefferson Martínez, he only saved one game, that of September 27, against Independiente Santa Fe, in which his mistake prevented Millonarios from getting the three points. Since then, he didn't have minutes of play.

“When they're wrong, they take you out. It's hard because they also mark you with the fans. It is more a matter of trust and that is what I value most about coach Restrepo, Bolillo at the time, Professor Comesaña in the few times that Marmolejo has been wrong in Medellín or the case of Amores at Deportivo Cali”.

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