Richard Rios of Colombia celebrates the team’s progression to the final following the CONMEBOL Copa … [+] America 2024 semifinal match between Uruguay and Colombia at Bank of America Stadium on July 10, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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In the last year Colombia and a host of their talented young squad have come out of nowhere to take on Argentina in the final of the Copa América, and Lautaro Martínez’s late winner in extra time should not deter them from their ongoing rise to the top.
Lionel Messi’s World Cup winners needed 120 minutes of football to beat a brave Colombia team who can go far at the next big tournament. The final ended a run of 28 games unbeaten for Colombia, who are stacked with young talent from attack to defence.
Marcelo Bielsa, the Argentinian coach of Uruguay, recently commented on their quality and the amount of depth they have in each position. He said that they have various number nine’s that can play in the starting XI and two good players in each position. This is something that is very rare at any level.
Colombia defeated Bielsa’s Uruguay in the Copa quarter final despite being a man down for over half of the game. In the first part of the match they showed their high pressing and attacking flair, and in the second their team organisation and defensive grit. All of which can help to form cup success in the future.
Jefferson Lerma of Colombia celebrates with teammates after scoring the team’s first goal during the … [+] CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 semifinal match between Uruguay and Colombia at Bank of America Stadium on July 10, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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Colombia’s strength in depth is so strong that highly rated young talents barely even had a sniff of some game time at this summer’s tournament. Jhon Durán of Aston Villa and Yáser Asprilla of Watford showed some fantastic form at club level in England last season. They will be disappointed by a lack of playing time this summer but they are young talents that will shine for Los Cafeteros in the future. If they can take their club form to the next level in the next two years then you can be sure to see them on the team sheet in 2026.
This summer one particular Colombia talisman had a rebirth. James Rodríguez won the player of the tournament trophy as he rolled back the years to rack up a record six assists during the competition. Having just turned 33 perhaps the World Cup in a couple of years will be his last time on the big stage with his nation. His set piece ability and link-up play between the defence and attack is crucial to Colombia’s success.
Liverpool winger Luis Díaz had a solid tournament but didn’t shine as brightly as he would have hoped. During the final he was very well managed by an experienced Argentina side who had clearly come up with a plan to stifle his individual talent. Despite that “Lucho” has many years left to play at the top level, and with a better team around him than ever before he will be raring to go at the next World Cup. One of many reasons for optimism in Colombia.
Luis Diaz of Colombia celebrates with James Rodriguez after scoring the team’s second goal during … [+] the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier match between Colombia and Brazil. He was talismanic in the victory, scoring both Colombia goals.
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The rise of this team can be embodied by players like Daniel Muñoz, the Crystal Palace right back, and Palmeiras midfielder Richard Ríos. Muñoz broke into the Palace starting XI last season and has become a stalwart in the Colombia team of late. Ríos had only managed three international caps before 2024 but this summer both players were some of the first names on the team sheet, and will be for the foreseeable future.
Like much of the squad they are footballers who seem to have boundless energy when they pull on the yellow shirt. Ríos, who comes from a futsal background, is a wonderful mix of both engine and elegance in the middle of the park. Muñoz missed the final of this Copa after he earned a stupid red card in the semifinal. Ríos was playing but carrying a knock, and the likes of Bologna defender Jhon Lucumí was also absent after picking up an injury in the group stage.
In two years time, if this Colombia squad is fit and firing, and of course a couple of years older and wiser, then they can go a very long way at the FIFA 2026 World Cup. Perhaps we can already name them as the early dark horses for the tournament. A lack of big names across the pitch will prohibit many from calling them contenders. However their form, level of performance and ability to navigate this Copa all the way to the final would suggest that they are capable of something special.
Finally, we must mention the Colombia fans, who drenched stadiums across the states in yellow, blue and red this summer. Only Argentina could compete with Colombia in terms of supporters attending games. They brought a noise and vibrancy that many couldn’t match and you could see how such a fan movement off the pitch, and even back home in Colombia, helped carry this team through the Copa América. They will return in their droves for the 2026 World Cup.
Colombian fans support their team gathering at the Simon Bolivar Metropolitan Park, to watch the … [+] Copa America Final football match between Colombia and Argentina, in Bogota, Colombia on July 14, 2024.
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Source link : https://www.forbes.com/sites/josephosullivan/2024/07/16/copa-amrica-finalists-colombia-will-shine-at-fifa-2026-world-cup/
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Publish date : 2024-07-16 12:00:10
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