Quintero began his career with Panadería Kuty training school and Barsa Fútbol Club. His mentor Élkin Congote tried to find a better situation for Quintero to develop and set up trials with more prestigious youth teams in Cali, Carlos Sarmiento Lora School and Selección Valle, as well as Boca Juniors, however they all rejected him. Quintero did catch the attention of Humberto Ortiz, a former top flight coach and now a scout for Categoría Primera A club Deportes Tolima. Tolima and Ortiz negotiated with Barsa and Quintero joined the youth ranks of Tolima in 2004. Quintero was part of Jorge Luis Bernal's Tolima youth side that won gold for men's football at the 2004 National Games of Colombia.