Palacios, who comes from the barren lands of Colombia, is a fish out of water when it comes to Korean soccer, and he's curious about everything around him. He's particularly fond of the Korean self-service coffee machines and the salmon dishes at the chain stores - and he's warmed up by the offer of a free drink after consumption. The Korean players affectionately call him "Big Brother", and even if it's sometimes a bit of a joke, Palacios is happy to accept this cozy crib, because he knows that he's happy enough here compared to his hometown.
During his K2 League stint, Palacios showed remarkable strength, scoring 16 goals and six assists in two consecutive seasons, which led the Pohang Ironmen to land him for a whopping $840,000, making it the most expensive transfer of his career.In the 2020 season, he peaked even more, with five goals and six assists in a single season, and his price tag skyrocketed to $650,000.
However, fate always seems to play jokes on him, and Palacios was eventually dropped by Pohang Ironmen in the 2021 season after scoring just one goal in 26 matches with the team. After moving to Seongnam, his contract was not renewed for one season. Fortunately, Coach Xu Zhengyuan of Chengdu Rongcheng lent a helping hand and started him on a new journey - the challenge of China.
Palacios' trip to China was low-key and simple. His poor background has allowed him to maintain a simple lifestyle. Although his income is increasing, he still chooses to take a "domestic car" to pick up his children and uses a scooter to get around for training. While other foreigners live in upscale residences, Palacios chooses to live in an affordable apartment in order to save money.
On the pitch, Palacios also gave his all, but was ill-fated. Last season, he mostly played as a substitute, and despite his efforts, Chengdu Rongcheng chose the more famous Andrigo and Romulo for the new season, and Palacios was dropped. After six months of playing without soccer, he went on loan to Shijiazhuang, which was the low point of his career. But he never complained and waited patiently for his chance to come. Eventually, Coach Xu Zhengyuan decided to replace Andrigo with his hard work and tolerance, and Palacios' fate turned around.
Returning to the CSL, Palacios quickly found his form and shined in the 21st round home game against Changchun Yatai, contributing three goals and an assist as the team won 4-0. His name has also been immortalized in the team's history. Now, he has been officially recognized by the CSL, surpassing many well-known foreigners to win the honor of the best player of a single round.
Adversity often inspires human potential and creates miracles. After failures in Europe and ups and downs in South Korea, Palacios has finally been reborn at the age of 31 to become a popular star in the Chinese Super League and one of the Chengdu fans' favorite foreigners. This season, he has scored 5 goals and 2 assists in 7 games in the CSL, surpassing his best season in South Korea and becoming the pinnacle of his career. After 10 years, 9 teams and 4 national leagues, he has finally found the safest and happiest home in China.
