The road to the World Cup is long, and getting to football's top tournament is a brutal process. Colombia reached the showpiece only once in the first 13 editions. Then they made it all the way to the Round of 16 in 1990. That left them even hungrier to return four years later, but standing in the way was a 1993 qualifier at Argentina, where victory was considered impossible. CGTN's Michelle Begue takes a trip down memory lane, to what would be a critical turning point for Los Cafeteros.

Ask any Colombian the one game that changed Colombia's football history and they will say.

LUIS GILBERTO SARMIENTO COLOMBIA FAN "When we won 5-0 against Argentina!"

"5-0!"

In 1993, Argentina was set to play Colombia in the last day of qualifying matches for the FIFA World Cup. If Argentina lost, it would have to play in the intercontinental playoff against Australia. But they couldn't lose. They were playing at home at the Monumental Stadium, and they had a six-year winning streak on home soil. Even the great Argentinian player Diego Armando Maradona, who had since retired, was quoted as saying a Colombia couldn't win against Argentina, because history showed that Argentina was on top, and Colombia was behind.

OSCAR CORDOBA FORMER COLOMBIA GOALKEEPER "For us, it ended up being a taunt that helped us give 110 percent of us to show that history can be rewritten. All you need is the will to go out onto the field, and confidence that you can do it."

And change history they did. Despite insults and slander by the Argentinian fans, the first goal by Colombian Freddy Rincon was a dream. But Argentina still had a chance to tie the game. Until a surprising second goal came in the first five minutes of the second half. Colombia could go home happy with a stellar performance, until the unimaginable happened, A THIRD GOAL! Colombians were flying high above the Argentinians, and within the next 13 minutes, history was made, Colombia scored two more times, bringing the grand total to 5 versus 0.

WILLIAM VINASCO COLOMBIAN SPORTS JOURNALIST "With the third goal, we knew we were going to the World Cup, and you lose control. The narration, the diction, are completely lost and you enter an emotional state, for the fourth and fifth goal, I barely had a voice."

The Colombian goalkeeper was Oscar Cordoba. At 23-years-old, he was playing the game of his life. He blocked two goal attempts from Argentinian player Gabriel Batistuta.

"I think the previous preparation in the Americas Cup in Ecuador, and how we were playing in the elimination, gave me the tranquility to know that we were well prepared, and that I was supported by a great team, and nothing was going to affect me on that field."

By the end of the game, with a five-goal win, even Maradona stood up and applauded Colombia's powerful win.

"Colombia went crazy. It was probably one of the most important sports moments in our history, and our team began to win the hearts of the Americas, and that was our international takeoff of our players."

MICHELLE BEGUE COLOMBIA "Football has come a long way since Colombia's winning streak. And a new generation of players led by James Rodriguez is forging its way into history as the world watches. Michelle Begue, CGTN, Colombia."