Rodrigo Contreras urges fans to set rivalries aside after Colombia earthquake

There are moments when a ball seems like the least important thing in the world. That is what Rodrigo Contreras, the Argentine forward for Millonarios, thinks in the aftermath of the earthquake that struck Colombia on August 10. The player spoke on ESPN F360 and delivered a message that goes far beyond soccer: right now, the priority is helping those who lost everything.

Contreras did not mince words describing the mood in the country. He spoke of days of mourning, of sadness, and of the need for people in soccer, players, former players and clubs alike, to make themselves available to those affected. According to him, the Millonarios squad has already organized a warehouse and trucks to collect donations and get them to the people who need them.

We know soccer can draw a lot of people together so everyone can do their small part, to raise as much as possible, to help the people who need it today.Rodrigo Contreras

The collection drive kicks off Monday at 2:00 p.m., once the players wrap up their morning training session. The plan is to split into groups of four or five players to personally greet anyone who shows up with donations, help load the trucks and see the whole process through. The exact address of the collection point has already been posted on the club's social media accounts.

But perhaps the strongest part of Contreras' message was his call to set rivalries aside. The forward asked fans of Nacional, America de Cali and Santa Fe, along with Millonarios supporters, to join the cause without thinking about team colors.

We need to set the jersey aside, and I think we should all wear one jersey, the one for the people who are in need.Rodrigo Contreras

Asked about the possibility of resuming competition, he was direct: this is not the time to think about soccer. He said there are people today who have lost family members, friends and even their homes, and that the only role the ball can play in this context is to bring people together so donations reach where they are needed.

Liga BetPlay resumes its schedule

Meanwhile, Dimayor officially confirmed the suspension of matchdays 4 and 5 following the earthquake and has already laid out the roadmap to resume the competition. Action returns on Wednesday, August 19 with postponed matches: Aguilas Doradas will host Llaneros at 4:00 p.m. and Cucuta will face Internacional de Bogota at 6:00 p.m., both Colombia time.

From there, the tournament will look to get back to normal. The weekend of August 22 and 23 will feature eight matches, including Santa Fe vs. America de Cali and Deportivo Cali vs. Internacional de Bogota. Millonarios will visit Aguilas Doradas on Saturday the 22nd and then host Llaneros on Thursday the 27th, closing out the stretch of pending matches left by the pause forced by the tragedy.