Richard Ríos: It is no secret that Colombia is among the best teams competing in the 2024 Copa América this summer. Several things have contributed to the Cafeteros’ recent success: Daniel Muñoz is displaying his versatility in both attacking and defending; Jhon Arias has been the catalyst between the midfielders and attackers; Luis Díaz is a dangerous attacker; and James Rodríguez has reclaimed his position as the team’s captain and number ten. But one part of this efficient system has subtly evolved into a vital piece during the competition. Richard Ramíos is his name.
The midfielder has cemented his place in coach Nestor Lorenzo’s starting lineup with his ability to move the ball in confined spaces and support Colombia’s attack-defense and defense-attack game transitions. Even though his development and trajectory resemble those of most soccer players, the truth is that he was a futsal player before taking up the game of 11-a-side! Let’s examine Richard Ríos’s biography and discover his current playing location.
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Richard Ríos’s Early Career in Futsal
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Born in Vegachí, Antioquia, in 2000, Ríos began playing futsal in the streets of his town. Despite economic hardships, sports opened new opportunities for him. He played in the Liga Argos futsal tournament with Alianza Platanera and became a champion. His performances earned him a spot on Colombia’s squad for the 2018 CONMEBOL Under-20 futsal tournament in Brazil.
During the tournament, Brazilian scouts noticed him and invited him to trials with Flamengo’s youth squad. “I left everything in Colombia and came with a backpack to Brazil to fulfill my dream,” Ríos said in an interview.
Which soccer team was Rios’s original one?
Ríos made his debut with the Mengaos first team at the Campeonato Carioca in January 2020 after being admitted into Flamengo’s youth group. His debut Brazileirao appearance didn’t happen until September when Spanish coach Domènec Torrent had to call up academy players for the match against Palmeiras due to a COVID outbreak within the squad.
The young player was loaned to the Mexican team Mazatlán for the 2021–2022 season. But a knee injury kept him out of much of the Liga MX Apertura and Clausura matches, so Mazatlán chose not to exercise the player’s option to be purchased. He learned that the Brazilian team had terminated his contract upon his return to Flamengo for the 2022–2023 season.
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Richard Ríos is now playing where?
In pursuit of playing time, Ríos joined Guaraní, a Brazilian second-division club, during the same transfer window. He made his professional debut on October 11 against Club Regatas, and he quickly established himself as a key member of his team. First-division team Palmeiras saw his great form and signed him on March 28, 2023.
The Colombian midfielder made his Copa Libertadores debut against Bolivar, gradually gained a spot in the starting lineup, and proved to be a vital member of Palmeiras’ 2023 Brazileirao championship squad. Before Lorenzo called him up for the Copa América last season, he played 29 games with the Verdaos, and his contract with the group is still in effect.
Richard Ríos has played in how many games for Colombia’s national team?
On October 12, during the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers against Uruguay, Ríos made his first appearance for Colombia’s first team. He came on as Matheus Uribe’s replacement in the 68th minute of play.
He has made 11 appearances for the national team and netted two goals, the last coming in a Copa America quarterfinal matchup against Panama.
