At first, I didn’t believe it. Then, the kids began to flock to him and asked him for an autographs. I was less skeptical, but I still wasn’t convinced. So I approached his younger friend, who I presumed was his son, and asked where he was from. “Colombia,” he answered. I asked if his father was an ex-footballer, and he nodded. Then, I turned to the elder gentelman, and asked with bated breath: “Hola. Eres Faustino Asprilla.” “Sí.” Faustino Asprilla, one of the greatest footballers in Colombian history, was standing right besides me at Lotte Hotel, watching Brazil take on Switzerland. We chatted for around 15 minutes, and there has never been a point in my life where I have felt more grateful to have become fluent in Spanish. I asked him about Colombia, about his footballing career, and about the game in general. He’s the kind of guy who has a larger-than-life impact, yet who still treats you like an equal. When Philippe Coutinho picked up the ball and struck it, Asprilla immediately called it: “Gol.” Surely enough, the shot floated into the top corner, leaving both the fans and players in a state of shock. But not Asprilla. When you’ve been a world-class striker, you just have a superhuman instinct to tell which goals will be goals. It was a surreal experience to be able to talk to such a legendary player. In what has been a trip jam-packed with conversations with marketing leaders and soccer chiefs, nothing tops shooting the breeze with “Tino.”