Question 1

True or false: His nickname 'El Loco' means 'The Crazy One' in Spanish.

Accepted Answer

True. His unpredictable, daring style earned him the nickname 'El Loco,' reflecting his wild antics on and off the pitch.

Question 2

True or false: Higuita was a traditional, stay-on-your-line goalkeeper with no flair.

Accepted Answer

False. He was the opposite—a sweeper-keeper who often dribbled past strikers and took risks, pioneering the modern 'sweeper-keeper' style.

Question 3

True or false: René Higuita invented the 'scorpion kick' in a friendly match against England.

Accepted Answer

True. He famously used the scorpion kick in 1995 against England at Wembley, catching the ball between his legs while falling forward.

Question 4

True or false: Higuita was once kidnapped by drug lord Pablo Escobar.

Accepted Answer

False. He was actually arrested for his involvement with a kidnapping, not kidnapped himself. He spent time in prison for acting as a go-between.

Question 5

True or false: Higuita was the first goalkeeper to save a penalty in a World Cup final.

Accepted Answer

False. He never played in a World Cup final; Colombia's best run was in 1990, where he made a famous save but lost in the round of 16.

Question 6

True or false: Higuita won the Copa América with Colombia in 2001.

Accepted Answer

False. Colombia won the 2001 Copa América, but Higuita wasn't on the squad; he was past his prime and not selected for that tournament.

Question 7

True or false: He scored over 40 goals in his professional career as a goalkeeper.

Accepted Answer

True. Higuita was a prolific goal-scoring keeper, netting more than 40 goals through penalties and free kicks, unusual for his position.

Question 8

True or false: He played for six different clubs in six different countries.

Accepted Answer

True. Higuita played in Colombia, Mexico, Ecuador, Venezuela, and even briefly in Saudi Arabia and the United States, showing global wanderlust.

René Higuita Trivia Questions