Gustavo Puerta sets Champions League target after World Cup rise

Colombian midfielder Gustavo Puerta, who starred for the national team at the 2026 World Cup, said his next ambition is to play in the UEFA Champions League. He told El Espectador that he dreams of joining a "big club" such as Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or Manchester City, and noted that Racing de Santander, his current team, is asking about €20 million for his transfer.

Puerta also revealed a traumatic childhood incident: at age 10 he was shot in the leg while riding a bicycle. The bullet remained lodged near his aorta until a successful surgery in 2018. He recalled asking doctors at the hospital, “the first thing I asked was if I could keep playing football,” underscoring his long‑term determination to succeed on the pitch.