The signing of Luis Diaz has sparked a remarkable surge of interest in Liverpool and the Premier League in Colombia.
Shirt sales, TV viewing figures and Diaz also becoming a national hero following his £37.5m move from Porto to Anfield in January.
But one of the reasons that Diaz is so popular is because of his remarkable fairytale, a real rags-to-riches story of growing up in poverty to becoming a superstar - albeit the people love him because he has remained humble.
Diaz, 25, was born in Barrancas (a poor area), and grew up playing on sand pitches which he says helped his close control and is the reason behind his remarkable dribbling.
His family has an indigenous heritage: Diaz is not actually Wayuu (the 300,000 strong ethnic group) himself but his first club Barranquilla goes into towns recruiting players and setting up trial matches - and it was Colombia legend Carlos Valderrama who first spotted him.
Valderrama was the coordinator of the Indigenous National Team, and Diaz's journey effectively started in the 2015 Copa Americana de Pueblos Indígenas and saw him rise from Barranquilla, to Atletico Junior and then Porto where he had three years before joining Liverpool.
Even now Diaz looks thin, and his first clubs and coaches were worried he was suffering from malnutrition and put him on a diet and programme to improve his strength - but it is actually his natural physical shape.
Though Diaz’s father still lives in Barrancas, Diaz had a very down-to-earth home in Portugal and he has already impressed everyone at Liverpool with his attitude, especially the way he has fitted in and also adapted to the English game.
Barranquilla president Ernesto Rafael Herrera told this column: “For us in the Barranquilla Futbol Club is a cause of great pride to see Luis Diaz in Liverpool and the success he is having at the beginning and to know that he will succeed.
“It is a motivation to keep working in the formation of young Colombian football players and for other youths, he is an example to follow, so they can achieve their dreams.”
Top agent write novel about agents
Top agent Dr Erkut Sogut has written his first novel, a thriller which is all about the murky world of football and the agents who control it.
The book entitled Deadline is about a star player, Ander Anaia, his agent David Miller is about to make the deal when a secret cabal of super agents with criminal links kidnap his daughter Joska as collateral.
Sogut has a very good reputation in football, but has shied away from the super agent bracket while looking after his players, such as former Arsenal superstar Mesut Ozil.
Ozil has out his name to review calling it an “exciting review” while Sogut himself told this column his first thriller is about “nepotism and agent cartel in football.”
Undoubtedly an eye opener.
Sky Sports News' reporter reshuffle
Sky have had a mini “cabinet reshuffle” with Kaveh Solhekol heading up their news operation as their chief reporter.
Geriant Hughes is also a senior reporter while Tim Thornton, Rob Dorsett and Melissa Reddy will work out of Yorkshire, Midlands and North West respectively.
Sky used the excellent Emma Saunders as the pitch side interviewer on their Super Sunday game last weekend with Laura Woods working for ITV at the same time.
Saunders has also been one of the BBC ’s leading lights on TV, radio and podcasts. The BBC’s weekend football podcasts have very weak presenters by comparison.
Carabao Cup final's effect on European places
The Carabao Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool is potentially good news for European places in the Premier League.
It will mean the Premier League will get a Europa Conference League place which will go down to sixth and could go down to seventh if the FA Cup winners have already qualified for Europe.
