Bogota is the 'place to consecrate; the temple of football in Colombia', says the coach Fernando 'Pecoso' Castro, who also assures: "As a player, I always liked to go to Bogota, because I knew they would tell me if I was ready or not for the Colombia national team."

And that is the same idea for many professional players who dream of wearing the national team jersey. El Campin has become the perfect stage to show off and a direct route to reach the national team. The demand for players from Millonarios and Santa Fe, the two most important clubs in the capital, is even greater; their rivals play for life or death in Bogota. Everyone wants to stand out and in that aspect the red and whites have earned their merits, at least when it comes to protecting the goal.

In recent years, the goalkeepers of Santa Fe have been called up for World Cups, friendly matches, Qualifiers and America Cups. They have become an option for the coaches of the Colombia national team. Two of them were formed in the lower divisions of the club, Eduardo Niño and Camilo Vargas. Another one came from Cartagena to finish his training process and made his debut in 1999 with the red and whites: Agustín Julio. Now it's Leandro Castellanos, the 31-year-old from Norte de Santander, who is preparing -with his extraordinary saves- for a call-up.

From Santa Fe's Academy to the national goal

The Bogota native Eduardo Niño was one of Santa Fe's first contributions to the national team. He was called up as one of the alternatives between 1988 and 1991. First, he went through the U-20 team, where he participated as a starter in the U-20 World Cup in 1985 in the Soviet Union, he was champion of the Youth Tournament of America in 1987 and a starter in the U-20 World Cup in Chile, in the same year.

He was a substitute for René Higuita in the Qualifiers and in the 1990 World Cup in Italy. Also in the editions of the Copa America in 1989 in Brazil and in 1991 in Chile. Now, Niño, who was trained in Santa Fe and made his professional debut in 1985 with the 'cardenal' team, is the current goalkeeper coach of Colombia. A true 'lion' in front of the goal.

Agustín Julio was then Santa Fe's representative in the national team. His first call-up came when he was 24 years old, in 1999, with Javier Álvarez as head coach. In 2007, he returned to the 'tricolor' in great style, after patiently waiting for a new opportunity, as he was competing with Miguel Calero, Óscar Córdoba, Juan Carlos Henao, and René Higuita himself.

After returning to his 'cardenal' home in 2008, he remained in Colombia's goal. He played 12 qualifying matches for South Africa 2010. He kept his goal invincible for 876 minutes, until Argentine Lionel Messi appeared to break his streak.

The footsteps of these two great goalkeepers were followed by another academy graduate of the red and whites club, Camilo Vargas, who was called up for the first time on August 30, 2012 after winning the Liga Postobón I and being a key player in the achievement of Santa Fe's seventh star. The Bogota native received the call from coach José Pékerman as the third goalkeeper for the matches against Uruguay and Chile, in the seventh and eighth rounds of the Qualifiers for Brazil 2014. So far, he has played four friendly matches - against El Salvador, Canada, United States, and Slovenia - in which he has only conceded one goal in 360 minutes of play.

Castellanos is emerging as Santa Fe's contribution to the Colombian goal

Now, it is expected that Leandro Castellanos, a key player for Santa Fe this season, will make his way to the national team, after going 477 minutes without conceding a goal, remaining unbeaten in the first three rounds of the Liga II and in the two matches of the round of 16 of the Copa Aguila. He conceded his first goal at the 27-minute mark in the fourth round of the FPC against Alianza.

The goalkeeper is catching the attention of the national team coaching staff, who had already called him up as an alternative for two friendly matches in 2014, against Slovenia and the United States. He is now considered one of the favorites on Pékerman's list, taking into account Camilo Vargas' little activity this year at Atlético Nacional.

Santa Fe aims at Colombian goalkeepers, those of international stature, those who have returned them to glory, made them protagonists, and allowed them to shine in local and continental championships.

Santa Fe has had great goalkeepers for the Colombian national team

Efraín 'El Caimán' Sánchez, Carlos Fernando Navarro Montoya, Luis Gerónimo López, and Faryd Mondragón were figures in the 'cardenal' goal and also left their mark of quality under the national team's goalposts.

Efraín "Caimán" Sánchez Casimiro: He played in the 1962 World Cup, played all 3 matches for the national team against Uruguay, the unforgettable 4-4 against USSR and Yugoslavia. He was with Santa Fe between 1953 and 1954.

Carlos Fernando Navarro Montoya: Colombian goalkeeper with Argentine parents. He was born in Medellin but moved to Argentina at the age of 6. He played for Vélez Sarfield, Boca Juniors, and Independiente. He also played in Spain, Chile, Brazil, and Uruguay. In Colombia, he only played for Independiente Santa Fe between 1986 and 1987. He played in the play-off matches for the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

Luis Gerónimo López: He was born in Córdoba, Argentina on May 19, 1945. He is the only naturalized goalkeeper to have played for the Colombian national team in its entire history. He played in the Qualifiers for the 1978 World Cup in Argentina. He was a champion with Santa Fe in 1975.

Faryd Mondragón: He played 55 matches for the Colombian national team, participated in 3 World Cups, as a substitute in 1994 and as a starter in 1998. He played in six World Cup qualifying tournaments (1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2014) and is the oldest player to have participated in the final round of a World Cup (in Brazil 2014). He played for Santa Fe in 1992 and 1995.