{"id":493374,"date":"2025-12-03T15:36:34","date_gmt":"2025-12-03T19:36:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.net\/en\/uncategorized\/road-to-the-world-cup-colombia-and-its-up-and-down-road-to-qualify-for-the-2026-world-cup\/"},"modified":"2025-12-03T15:36:34","modified_gmt":"2025-12-03T19:36:34","slug":"road-to-the-world-cup-colombia-and-its-up-and-down-road-to-qualify-for-the-2026-world-cup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/uncategorized\/road-to-the-world-cup-colombia-and-its-up-and-down-road-to-qualify-for-the-2026-world-cup\/","title":{"rendered":"ROAD TO THE WORLD CUP | Colombia and its up-and-down road to qualify for the 2026 World Cup"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\nBogot\u00e1 (EFE).- The Colombian national football team finished in third place in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, but their path to the World Cup was full of ups and downs, and that’s why N\u00e9stor Lorenzo’s team only secured their qualification in the penultimate matchday.\n\n\n

You may be interested in: <\/strong>RD draws against Suriname in the start of its route towards the Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\nThe coffee growers added 28 points, eleven less than the leader Argentina, the result of seven victories, seven draws and four defeats. The team finished with a goal difference of +10 by scoring 28 times and conceding 18 goals.\n\nThe great Colombian figures were winger Luis D\u00edaz, second top scorer in the South American qualifiers with seven goals, and playmaker James Rodr\u00edguez, the top assister with seven goal passes.\n\n\n

A Consistent Base in the Colombian National Team<\/h2>\n\n\nWorld Cup 2026\n\n\n

Colombia.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

The Epic Return<\/h2>\n\n\nAnalysis of the classification, figures and the path of the Colombian National Team.\n\nFinal Position\n\n3rd\n\nIn Qualifiers\n\n\n

Total Points<\/p>\n\n\n\n

28<\/p>\n\n\n11 less than ARG\n\n\n

World Cups<\/p>\n\n\n7th\n\nHistorical Participation\n\nDifference Goal\n\n+10\n\n28 GF \/ 18 GC\n\n\n

Overall Performance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

7<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4<\/p>\n\n\n7 Victories\n\n7 Draws\n\n4 Losses\n\nKey Data: Secured classification in the penultimate matchday.\n\n\n

+10 Goal Diff<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Figures of the Campaign<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Luis D\u00edaz<\/h4>\n\n\nThe Goalscorer\n\n7 Goals\n\n“2nd Top Scorer of the Qualifiers”\n\n\n

Highlight:<\/strong> Historic double vs Brazil<\/p>\n\n\n\n

James Rodr\u00edguez<\/h4>\n\n\nThe Brain\n\n7 Assists\n\n“Tournament’s top assister”\n\n\n

Highlight:<\/strong> Copa Am\u00e9rica MVP<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luis Su\u00e1rez<\/h4>\n\n\nThe Revelation\n\n4 Goals\n\n“In the qualifying match”\n\nHighlight:<\/strong> Poker vs Venezuela (6-3)\n\n\n

Team Base<\/h4>\n\n\nCamilo VargasDaniel Mu\u00f1ozDavinson S\u00e1nchezJhon Lucum\u00edJefferson LermaRichard R\u00edosJames Rodr\u00edguezLuis D\u00edaz+ Jhon Arias+ Johan Mojica\n\n\n

The Problem<\/h4>\n\n\nLack of a consolidated number 9.<\/strong> During much of the qualifying rounds, the position was rotated. Finally, Luis Su\u00e1rez<\/strong> took the position after his key performance at the end.\n\n\n

Road to Glory<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Nov 2023<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Historic Victory<\/h5>\n\n\n2-1 to Brazil. Double by Lucho D\u00edaz.\n\n\n

Jul 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Runner-up of America<\/h5>\n\n\nCopa Am\u00e9rica finalist (0-1 vs Argentina).\n\n\n

Sep 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Revenge<\/h5>\n\n\n2-1 to Argentina at the Metropolitano.\n\n\n

Oct 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stumble in El Alto<\/h5>\n\n\n0-1 vs Bolivia (played against 10).\n\n\n

Nov 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Painful Classics<\/h5>\n\n\nDefeats against Uruguay (3-2) and Ecuador (0-1).\n\n\n

04 Sep 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

CLASSIFICATION<\/h5>\n\n\nVictory 3-0 vs Bolivia. \u00a1Quota secured!\n\nThe Selection came from 6 winless games before the 3-0 against Bolivia.\n\n\n

See you in North America<\/h2>\n\n\nDesign and infographics: Integrated Table Sports Agency EFE\n\nSince the beginning of the qualifiers, in September 2023, the Argentinian Lorenzo found a base for his team that has been maintained since then.\n\nNames like goalkeeper Camilo Vargas; defenders Daniel Mu\u00f1oz, Davinson S\u00e1nchez and Jhon Lucum\u00ed; midfielders Jefferson Lerma, Richard R\u00edos and James Rodr\u00edguez, and winger Luis D\u00edaz became regulars in Colombia’s starting eleven.\n\nAs the tournament progressed, other footballers joined, finding their place among those chosen by Lorenzo, as is the case with full-back Johan Mojica and midfielder Jhon Arias.\n\nLorenzo’s only “but” in the formation of his team was in the center forward position, as none of the number nines that the coach trusted managed to establish themselves in the starting eleven.\n\nIn the end, the position went to striker Luis Su\u00e1rez, who in the last qualifying match took advantage of his starting position and scored four goals in the 3-6 victory over Venezuela.\n\n\n

From the ground up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
El seleccionador de Colombia, N\u00e9stor Lorenzo, en una imagen de archivo. EFE\/ Adan Gonz\u00e1lez<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\nColombia started the qualifiers with good play and good results in the first few matches, in which they beat Venezuela 1-0 and drew 0-0 with Chile in Santiago, 2-2 with Uruguay in Barranquilla and 0-0 with Ecuador in Quito.\n\nThe team’s best moment came on November 16, 2023, on the fifth matchday, when they defeated Brazil 2-1 with a brace from D\u00edaz and beat the Canarinha for the first time in a qualifying match, showcasing great associative football that had D\u00edaz and James as its main axes.\n\nThe team defeated Paraguay 0-1 in Asunci\u00f3n five days later, thus finishing this stage of the qualifiers in third place with 12 points, one behind Uruguay and three behind leader Argentina.\n\nAfter that match, there was a ten-month break, during which the Copa Am\u00e9rica was played, in which they were runners-up after losing the final 1-0 to Argentina.\n\nThat defeat was a very hard blow for the coffee selection, but the team seemed to maintain the momentum it showed in the continental tournament, tied 1-1 with Peru in Lima on September 6 and four days later took revenge by defeating Argentina 2-1 in Barranquilla.\n\n\n

Colombia: From Doubts to Takeoff<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Jugadores de Colombia, en una imagen de archivo. EFE\/ Mauricio Due\u00f1as Casta\u00f1eda<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\nIn the double matchday in October, the team began to show its weaknesses and fell 1-0 to Bolivia in El Alto, a match in which the opponent had one player less for more than 70 minutes.\n\nHowever, the match against Chile, which ended with a 4-0 thrashing, seemed to dispel the doubts left against La Verde, but it was all a mirage because afterwards it lost its brakes and fell into the abyss.\n\nFirst came the 3-2 defeat to Uruguay in Montevideo on November 14 and, four days later, the 0-1 loss to Ecuador at home, two matches in which the team’s best version was not seen.\n\nIn March, the 2-1 defeat to Brazil away and the 2-2 draw at home with Paraguay arrived, to which were added the 0-0 with Peru in Barranquilla and the 1-1 with Argentina in Buenos Aires.\n\nThe most important day for Colombia was September 4th because it broke the streak of six games without winning and with its 3-0 home victory against Bolivia, it qualified for its seventh World Cup.","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Bogot\u00e1 (EFE).- The Colombian national football team finished in third place in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, but their path to the World Cup was full of ups and downs, and that’s why N\u00e9stor Lorenzo’s team only secured their qualification in the penultimate matchday. You may be interested in: RD draws […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":493375,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[611,40231,40853,40230],"class_list":["post-493374","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-uncategorized","tag-deultimominuto","tag-dominican-republic","tag-thetruthnewspaper","tag-united-states"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/phj1q1-24lE","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/12\/portada.webp","dum_api":{"author_name":"EFE","author_image":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/1200px-EFE_logo.svg-96x96.png","categories_name":["Uncategorized"],"featured_media_url":"https:\/\/cdn.deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/12\/portada.webp"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/493374","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=493374"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/493374\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/493375"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=493374"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=493374"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=493374"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}