“I’m already rich, I don’t need to run”, that’s the quote making headlines in Colombia, that Brazilian midfielder Fred said on the Charla Podcast about former Fenerbahce striker Jhon Duran, when Fred would encourage him to get active on the training ground for the Turkish club.
The full quote from Fred “That guy (Jhon Duran) doesn’t care about anything, bro — what a funny guy! Great person, but, you know, he just doesn’t care about anything. When we would go out in the city, I would say: ‘Jhon, let’s go to training, let’s run a lap or two.’ And he would reply: ‘Bro, I’m already rich. I don’t need to run.’ Then he would go to the medical room and slack off,”
Fred, 33, spent three years at Fenerbahce after over 100 games for Manchester United, before returning to Brazilian football this year with Atletico Mineiro. He’s an example of a player who worked hard and made his dreams come true.
Jhon Duran, 22, also made his dreams come true financially, only his dreams are not what his country had in mind for him when the starlet rose quickly as a teenager and joined Colombia’s national team at just 18.
Jhon Duran’s Rise from the Cantera of Heroes
Duran was another wonderkid developed by current second division side Envigado FC in Colombia. Envigado, a suburb of Medellin, launched a football club in 1989. In the shadow of Colombian giants Atletico Nacional and Independiente Medellin. Playing a half hour to the south of those giants, Envigado construct a team that is focused on youth academy development and selling players to bigger clubs. Their graduates include Colombian legend James Rodriguez, now back in the FPC with Atletico Nacional, Monterrey legend Dorlan Pabon, Juan Fernando Quintero, back in Medellin with Independiente, former Inter Milan player Fredy Guarin, and former national team striker Jhon Cordoba among many others.
In short, Duran, who spent his youth in Medellin, grew up in the perfect enviroment to excel as a footballer. In 2024 The Athletic spoke about how Envigado pushed him to excel in the classroom, not just on the field, and one of his former coaches remarked “he was never undisciplined or rude”
As a teenager, Duran moved to the United States, joining Chicago Fire in MLS, where he once again, he excelled without incident. Duran notched 8 goals in 27 appearances for the Fire, before a record move to Aston Villa in the Premier League, where he notched 12 goals in 55 appearances under Unai Emery, including a Premier League goal of the month.
From Aston Villa to a Lucrative World Tour
After chafing at times under Aston Villa’s management, his team continued to push for another lucrative transfer move, the bright lights of the Premier League, and being a budding star at Villa, a club that fellow Colombian Juan Pablo Angel played 175 games for, wasn’t enough. Duran accepted what was reported to be a 64 million dollar move to Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, where he scored 8 times in 13 games.
Unfortunately, he became yet another player who couldn’t settle in the Saudi Pro League, despite the massive wages. Duran struggled off the pitch at a club that is run by the famously demanding Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo isn’t just Al-Nassr’s star at the tail end of his career, he is the north star, having a significant hand in club management decisions, transfer moves and setting a standard at the club. Duran, it turned out, wasn’t a fit to be by Ronaldo’s side in the attack.
Within six months, Duran was loaned out to Fenerbahce, one of Turkey’s big three clubs, a side hungry to be competitive in European football, and win titles in Turkey. By then it became clear that Duran, while talented, was struggling to settle on his world tour. he scored just five times at Fenerbahce and his loan was cut short, all while being penalized by Jose Mourinho for missing training.
Then a move to Russia’s giant club Zenit Saint Petersburg, where he had just a goal in six games. The third loan move was his last, as he was flipped to Portuguese giants Benfica in July, where he’s only managed a goal in what was a 7-0 rout of Casa Pia in August.
Fred’s remark about Duran’s lack of effort in training at Fenerbache, now showing up in his on-field performances, another young South American star abroad on a disappointing path, like Ecuador’s Kendry Paez, and Argentina’s Alejandro Garnacho.
Playing in a league where Benfica has significant skill advantages over almost every opponent, Duran has struggled. He sat on the bench during the club’s 3-1 defeat against rivals FC Porto on September 20th before the international break. He went scoreless, even as Benfica won five consecutive matches from the end of August to mid September. He’s no longer having a visible impact, in a league that is a significant level below the matches he was playing for Aston Villa in the Premier League. Duran is far from the hills of Medellin, and he looks lost on the pitch.
He Replaced Falcao, Then he Angered All of Colombia
What happened to Duran in international football, was perhaps the most serious evidence of a career that’s gone off the rails. James Rodriguez already showed that what you do in Colombia’s yellow jersey, in the eyes of that football loving nation, defines you more than anything you’ll do in club football. Rodriguez famously toured the world looking for a club after his time at Real Madrid, and Everton, and he never quite found a comfortable home again.
For James, playing for Colombia was always what was comfortable, but for Duran, it was the opposite.
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In 2022, Duran stepped on the field for the senior national team, La Sele, for the first time. He replaced none other than “El Tigre” Radamel Falcao as a substitute. Falcao is Colombia’s most legendary striker, 104 caps for his country, a team leading 36 goals. He forms the great trident of Colombian national team football with James and Carlos “El Pibe” Valderrama, and with James retirement from the national team, Falcao will hold that goal scoring record for the foreseeable future.
When Falcao stepped aside from La Sele in 2023, it was Duran who was supposed to take up the mantle. He scored his first goal for the senior national team against Japan in 2023, but Duran never formed a working relationship with Colombia’s long-time national team manager Nestor Lorenzo.
He was on the squad for the Copa America but only got 13 minutes as a substitute against Costa Rica, as Colombia would play six games and reach the final, losing to Argentina while being held goalless. Even when Colombia needed a goal most, Lorenzo didn’t trust Jhon Duran would deliver.
Still, Duran was expected to be in the next World Cup, and contribute during the World Cup qualifying campaign. Duran managed 10 appearances and 2 goals, but he was yellow carded five times, and then there was “the incident”.
Colombia entered their matchday 15 qualifying clash against lowly Peru on a poor run of form, they had lost matches to South American rivals Uruguay, Ecuador, and Brazil heading into the match, and playing at home in Barranquilla’s famous heat, they expected a win against Peru to get back on track. Instead it was a miserable performance, a 0-0 draw where Peru were happy to soak pressure, and Colombia couldn’t find a goal on their own soil.
While Colombia went on to qualify for the World Cup and reach the round of 16, losing to Switzerland on penalties, Duran played no further part in his country’s squad. Against Peru at halftime, Duran got into a confrontation with Lorenzo and fellow players, journalist Paolo Arenas claimed, “Duran stormed into the locker room, shouting and gesturing at teammates. Lorenzo tried to calm things, but Duran grabbed his shirt. James hit the floor, while Lerma managed to restrain Duran.”
reports vary about what actually happened, but it was clearly a heated incident where Duran showed an attitude, showed temper, and after that locker room fight, he was no longer welcome on the national team under Lorenzo’s selection process.
Colombia Needed Jhon Duran at the World Cup
Colombia had an acceptable World Cup in the eyes of many football observers, but for those who sleep in Colombia’s yellow jersey, and wake up to Ryan Castro’s “El Ritmo Que Nos Une” as their alarm clock, the tournament was a failure.
More pointedly, it was a failure because Colombia did everything well, except finishing their chances and scoring goals. Nestor Lorenzo leaned on Luis Suarez, who also plays his club football in Portugal for Sporting CP, while also giving minutes to the 33-year-old veteran Jhon Cordoba, who later came up injured, along with a brief cameo from Cucho Hernandez (Real Betis).
Colombia had strikers at the World Cup, but they were without perhaps their most talented, and Duran only has himself to blame.
At his best, Duran had the physical profile and goal creation ability to be Colombia’s missing link in the attack, and to release some pressure off James, Quintero, and a clearly fatigued Luis Diaz. He could have been the one linking up with Jhon Arias and Gustavo Puerta, instead he watched the World Cup on TV, and one wonders if he thought anything about the lack of effort he had shown to be left off the squad, or if he was just counting his money.
Extra Time Notes: What’s Next for Duran?
It’s amazing that Jhon Duran is still 22-years-old, he’s had the career and the club journey of a player a decade older. Jhon Duran is rich, how rich? we don’t know, but clearly he’s made enough to provide for his family and live a very comfortable life in a home of his choosing.
What Duran doesn’t have is a memorable moment for Colombia, Copa America arrives in 2028, in 2030, Duran will be 26, technically in his prime, and still with the profile Colombia would need in the World Cup.
Fred’s podcast chatting could be nothing, but perhaps these headlines will be what pushes Duran back on the right path for club and country, back on the path he’s capable of following. The path that leads not just to riches, but actual fame and immortality, because when you win in Colombia’s jersey, they remember and celebrate you forever, just ask El Pibe, Faustino Asprilla, Falcao, or David Ospina.
The door is still open for Jhon Duran, but he has to run through it.
Main Photo Credit: USA Today Sports via Reuters Connect
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