Famous Colombian Men

Nobel Prize-winning Colombian author Gabriel Garcia Marquez, also known as “Gabo,” is remembered as one of the most prominent figures of the magic realism literary style. His novels One Hundred Years of Solitude and Love in the Time of Cholera have achieved cult status. He previously worked as a journalist.

Radamel Falcao is a Colombian football player who has been playing for the national football team since 2007. He is the all-time top scorer for the Colombia national team. Nicknamed The Tiger, Falcao is often counted among the greatest Colombian football players of all time. Radamel Falcao is also considered one of the best strikers of his generation.

A notorious Colombian drug lord, Pablo Escobar was the founder and leader of the infamous Medellín Cartel. His drug cartel monopolized the cocaine trade into the United States and he became one of the wealthiest criminals ever in history. Dubbed "The King of Cocaine", he left behind a controversial legacy upon his death at the age of 44.

James Rodríguez is a versatile football player adept at playing as a central midfielder, playmaker, and winger. At the initial stages of his career, he was counted among the best young international players. He made a major impact during the 2014 FIFA World Cup where he won the Golden Boot for scoring the most number of goals.

John Leguizamo is a popular stand-up comedian and actor who is credited with voicing Sid the Sloth in the Ice Age film series. Over the years, John Leguizamo has also played a major role in helping the Hispanic community and has been honored by organizations, such as the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors.

Maluma is a Colombian singer, actor, and songwriter. After developing an interest in music early in his life, Maluma started recording songs at age 16. He then went on to collaborate with many successful artists and is currently among the best-selling Latin music artists, with sales of more than 26 million records worldwide.

Juan Pablo Montoya is a Colombian racing driver who currently competes for DragonSpeed Racing in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. In 1998, Montoya won the Formula 3000 International Championship title. The following year, he went on to win the CART FedEx Championship Series. In October 2009, Juan Pablo Montoya was named in Times Online's Top 50 Formula One Drivers list.

J Balvin is a Colombian singer whose genres include reggaeton, hip hop, and Latin pop. Known as the Prince of Reggaeton, Balvin is one of the highest-selling Latin music artists in the world. He was presented with the Global Icon Award for spreading Latin music worldwide. In 2020, he was named in Time magazine's list of 100 Most Influential People.

Carlos Valderrama is a Colombian retired football player whose distinctive hairstyle and technical skills made him popular. Widely regarded as one of the greatest Colombian football players of all time, Valderrama was included in Pelé's FIFA 100 list in 2004. Carlos Valderrama played a prominent role during the 1990s, which is considered the golden era of Colombian football.  

Juan Cuadrado is a Colombian football player who has been representing the Colombia national football team since 2010. Renowned for his pace and dribbling skills, Juan Cuadrado is an important player for his national side. He also currently represents the Juventus Football Club and has won many championship titles for the team.

Carlos Valdes is a Colombian-American actor, dancer, and singer. Valdes is best known for playing Cisco Ramon / Vibe in the popular American superhero TV series, The Flash. He portrays the role in other Arrowverse-related projects as well. A multi-talented personality, Valdes is also an accomplished instrumentalist and songwriter; he plays the piano, guitar, ukulele, percussion, and bass.

Andrés Escobar was a Colombian football player who played for the Colombia national team from 1988 to 1994. Dubbed The Gentleman, Escobar is best remembered for his calmness on the pitch and clean style of play. On July 2, 1994, Andrés Escobar was killed in the aftermath of the FIFA World Cup in 1994.

Jackson Martínez is a Colombian retired football player who played for the Colombia national football team from 2009 to 2015. Apart from representing his country in important tournaments like the 2014 FIFA World Cup and Copa Américas, Martínez also played for clubs like Atlético Madrid and Porto. In 2014 and 2015, Martínez was named FC Porto Athlete of the Year.

David Ospina is a Colombian football player who plays for the Colombia national football team. Ospina made his national debut in 2007 and is currently the most capped player of Colombia. Apart from representing his country in important tournaments like the FIFA World Cup and Copa Américas, David Ospina has also played for popular clubs like Arsenal and Atlético Nacional.

Carlos Bacca is a Colombian football player who represented the Colombia national football team from 2010 to 2018. He was part of the team that won the bronze medal at the Copa América Centenario in 2016. He also represented the team at the 2014 and 2018 World Cups. Carlos Bacca is renowned for his pace, aggression, strength, and concentration.

René Higuita is a Colombian retired football player best known for exhibiting a scorpion kick while saving a goal in a friendly against England on 6 September 1995. His high-risk playing style and distinctive hairstyle made him immensely popular around the world. René Higuita is widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers in South American history.

Colombian pop sensation Sebastián Yatra soared to fame with singled such as Traicionera and Robarte un Beso. Yatra was a promising soccer player in school. He was in the news for his relationship with Argentine singer Tini Stoessel, and their subsequent break-up announcement on Twitter broke their fans’ hearts.

Juan Manuel Santos is a Colombian politician who served as the 32nd president of Colombia. He is credited with co-founding the Social Party of National Unity, which he led to prominence. For his efforts to put an end to Colombia's more than 50-year-long civil war, Santos was honored with the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize.

Juanes is a Colombian musician best known for his association with the rock band Ekhymosis. Having sold over 15 million albums worldwide, Juanes is one of the best-selling artistes of his generation. Over the course of his illustrious career, Juanes has won many prestigious awards such as Latin Grammy Awards and Grammy Awards.

Juan Pablo Raba is a Colombian actor best known for his portrayal of Gustavo Gaviria in the American crime drama TV series, Narcos. Over the years, he has established himself in the American TV industry. Apart from being an actor, Raba takes an active part in the campaigns organized by several animal and human rights organizations.

German-Colombian drug kingpin Carlos Lehder, co-founder of the Medellín Cartel, which smuggled cocaine into the U.S., formed the Muerte a Secuestradores, to fight against the kidnappings of his cartel members. He escaped from the kidnappers but spent a 33-year sentence in the U.S., following which he was released.

Nairo Quintana is a Colombian racing cyclist. A specialist climber, Quintana is renowned for his ability to launch attacks on ascents of steep gradient and his stamina to endure others' attacks. Considered the best Colombian road cyclist of all time, Nairo Quintana is also counted among the most successful and popular stage-racing riders of his generation.

Carlos Vives is a Colombian actor, singer, and songwriter. He is best known for his fusion of pop music and traditional Colombian musical styles, such as champeta, cumbia, vallenato, and porro. Carlos Vives has won important awards like the Grammys, Latin Grammy Awards, and Premios Nuestra Tierra. In 2020, he was inducted into the Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame.

Luis Muriel is a Colombian football player who has been playing for the national football team since 2012. He helped his team win the bronze medal at the 2021 Copa América. A versatile player, Luis Muriel is renowned for his pace, agility, dribbling skills, and creativity.

Two-time Tony-nominated actor Samuel E. Wright is best known for his performances in The Lion King and The Tap Dance Kid. Fans also know him as the voice of Sebastian in The Little Mermaid, and his track Under the Sea, from the movie, won an Academy Award.

Faustino Asprilla is a Colombian retired football player who played for the Colombia national football team from 1993 to 2001. Widely regarded as one of the best Colombian footballers of all time, Faustino Asprilla represented his national team in important tournaments like the Summer Olympics, Copa America, and FIFA World Cup. 

Juan Fernando Quintero is a Colombian football player who has been representing the national football team since 2012. An attacking midfielder, Quintero is renowned for his creativity, agility, and speed. He is currently signed with the Argentine football club River Plate, where his style of play has drawn comparisons to that of Lionel Messi.

Juan Carlos Osorio is a Colombian former football player who played as a midfielder for teams like Deportivo Pereira, Internacional, and Once Caldas. He is best known for his managerial career and has served as manager for popular teams, including the Paraguay national football team.

Gio Urshela is a Colombian baseball player who currently plays for the Minnesota Twins of the MLB. Apart from representing popular MLB teams like Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees, Gio Urshela has also played for the Colombian national baseball team. 

Breidis Prescott is a Colombian boxer who competes in the lightweight and welterweight divisions. He achieved international fame in 2008 when he defeated the then-undefeated boxer Amir Khan, which earned him the nickname The Khanqueror.  

Cristián Zapata is a Colombian football player who played for the Colombia national football team from 2007 to 2019. In 2016, he helped his team win the bronze medal at the Copa América. A powerful defender, Zapata represented his nation in two FIFA World Cups. Cristián Zapata has also represented popular clubs like AC Milan and Villarreal. 

Hugo Rodallega is a Colombian football player who played for the Colombia national football team from 2005 to 2011. He is currently a part of Esporte Clube Bahia where he plays as a forward and winger. Hugo Rodallega is best known for his association with Wigan Athletic Football Club for which he scored 24 goals in Premier League matches.

Adrián Ramos is a Colombian football player who has been playing for the Colombia national football team since 2008. He has played for the national team in important tournaments like the FIFA World Cup and Copa América. Adrián Ramos is also currently a part of América de Cali.

Edgar Renteria is a Colombian retired baseball shortstop who batted right-handed. A two-time Gold Glove Award winner, Rentería played for popular MLB teams like the Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, and Boston Red Sox. Edgar Renteria is also a three-time Silver Slugger Award winner. 

Óscar Rivas is a Colombian boxer best known for winning a silver medal in the Super Heavyweight category at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro. He is the current WBC bridgerweight champion and has held the championship since 2021. Óscar Rivas previously held the WBO-NABO and WBC-NABF heavyweight titles.

Víctor Ibarbo is a Colombian football player who represented the Colombia national football team from 2010 to 2016. Ibarbo, who currently plays for the Japanese team V-Varen Nagasaki, has also played for popular clubs like Atlético Nacional and Cagliari. Víctor Ibarbo helped Atlético Nacional win the Superliga Colombiana and Copa Libertadores in 2016.

Andrés Pastrana Arango is a Colombian politician best known for his service as the President of Colombia from 1998 to 2002. An influential politician, Pastrana also served as the Mayor of Bogotá from 1988 to 1990. In 2013, Andrés Pastrana Arango was honored with the prestigious Hanno R. Ellenbogen Citizenship Award.

José Quintana is a Colombian baseball player who plays as a pitcher for the popular Major League Baseball (MLB) team St. Louis Cardinals. He has previously played for the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels, and Chicago Cubs among other popular teams.

Julio Teherán is a Colombian baseball player who plays as a pitcher. He currently plays for the Sultanes de Monterrey. A two-time All-Star, Julio Teherán has also played for popular Major League Baseball (MLB) teams like Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Angels.

Colombian serial-killer, rapist, necrophile, pederast and child-molester Luis Garavito confessed in October 1999 that he tortured, raped, mutilated and killed 147 minors. He received the lengthiest sentence in the history of Colombia, being sentenced to 1,853 years and 9 days in prison. He is serving his sentence, which was eventually reduced to 22 years, in a maximum-security prison in Valledupar.  

Juan Agudelo is an American soccer player who played for the United States men's national soccer team from 2010 to 2018. In 2017, he helped his team win the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Over the course of his career, Agudelo has also played for popular clubs like Stoke City and Minnesota United. He is currently a part of Birmingham Legion.

Éder Álvarez Balanta is a Colombian football player best known for his versatility. He achieved popularity while playing for the Argentine club River Plate. He was part of the team that won the Copa Libertadores and Recopa Sudamericana in 2015. Éder Álvarez Balanta currently plays for the Colombia national football team and Club Brugge Koninklijke Voetbalvereniging.