born September 2, 1961 inSanta Marta, Colombia), also known as El Pibe ("The Kid") is a Colombian former football player. His distinctive blond hair, coupled with his flamboyant technique on the ball, made him one of Colombia's most recognizable footballers, and arguably, one of the most recognizable footballers around the globe historically.

Valderrama was a member of the Colombia national football team in the 1990s. Between 1985 and 1998 he representedColombia in 111 full internationals and scored 11 times, making him the most capped player in the country's history. Valderrama was known for the accuracy of his passing and assisting, his tactical brain which allowed him to have a strong presence without the necessity of running as much as it would be expected, his precise technique on the ball, and his clean assists.^[3][4] Valderrama played a huge role during the golden era of Colombian football during the 1990s. In 2004, Valderrama was included in the FIFA 100, a list of "greatest living footballers" chosen by Pelé to celebrate the 100th anniversary of FIFA.

At the end of his career Valderrama played in Major League Soccer joining the league in its first season. The most recognisable player in the league at the time, he helped popularise the league during the 1990s and attract other foreign footballers to ply their trade in the league. To this day, he is an icon as one of the most decorated playmakers to ever play in the MLS.