Colombia Copa America 2024 squad guide: Will fearsome form translate into a championship mentality? (2024)

Colombia have long been regarded as one of South America’s second-tier sides, but they head into this summer in impressive form under Nestor Lorenzo…

The manager

Nestor Lorenzo is into his second year as Colombia’s head coach. His appointment, in June 2022, was controversial. Lorenzo is Argentinian and he succeeded Reinaldo Rueda, a Colombian who failed to lead his nation to qualification for that year’s World Cup. Foreign managers in Colombia tend to divide the fanbase, though Lorenzo’s previous ties to the Colombian national team have eased that tension, for now.

He was the chief assistant under Jose Pekerman, another Argentinian, who coached Colombia to the 2014 and 2018 World Cup tournaments, either side of a third-place finish in the 2016 Copa. Pekerman remains well respected in Colombia and that helped Lorenzo earn some respect from the demanding fans and media who cover the team.

This is only Lorenzo’s second head-coaching position. After a lengthy career as an assistant at the club level and his time on Pekerman’s staff, he managed Peruvian side Melgar for a year and a half before getting the Colombia job.

Despite that lack of experience as the top man, Lorenzo is yet to lose in his 20 matches in charge. The streak (which stands at 23 if you also count games played under Rueda) includes friendly wins against Germany (2-0) and Spain (1-0), and a key World Cup qualifying defeat of Brazil (2-1) in November last year. Colombia also thrashed the USMNT, 5-1 away, just over a week ago in a Copa warm-up game.

Pekerman became a hero to Colombians after the team’s magical run to the quarterfinals at the 2014 World Cup. A similar showing in the United States this summer could do the same for Lorenzo.

The household name you haven’t heard of yet

Jhon Arias is a dangerman for Colombia who has flown under the radar due to the team’s bigger-name players. But the 26-year-old Fluminense winger had a breakout year in 2023. He was the Brazilian side’s starting right-winger during a campaign that included their first-ever Copa Libertadores title last November.

Arias is a pacy, reliable footballer, who has gradually become one of Lorenzo’s preferred men. He is an intelligent player who plays well in the half-spaces, while providing Colombia with a valuable outlet in transition.

He isn’t this flashy dribbler teammate Luis Diaz is, and his numbers for Colombia don’t jump off the page either. Arias is a late bloomer at international level; having not scored in his first 13 caps, he got a goal in his 14th (against Romania in March), 15th (that USA game this month) and 16th (in beating Bolivia last night). He has been much more productive for Fluminense (35 goals and 38 assists) since joining the Rio de Janeiro club from Santa Fe in his homeland in August 2021.

His value for Colombia is more tactical. Arias can play on either wing, or as a more central attacking midfielder. With rumored interest from Spain’s Atletico Madrid, he is ripe for a breakout summer.

Strengths

Lorenzo has carried out some tactical adjustments, making Colombia more direct. This team still wants to keep the ball but with Diaz always ready to run and two aggressive attacking full-backs, Colombia has a dimension of verticality that had been missing previously.

Additionally, Colombia is scoring again. Having gone nearly 700 minutes without a goal during the 2022 World Cup qualifying cycle, in recent friendlies they have scored three against Mexico and Romania, and five against the USMNT.

Colombia is also stronger defensively. A younger and more agile center-back pairing of Carlos Cuesta (Genk) and Jhon Lucumi (Bologna) have adjusted well to the pressure of being their country’s last line of defense.

Meanwhile, Daniel Muñoz (Crystal Palace) has become one of South America’s most consistent full-backs. The 28-year-old is a relentless defender, with the stamina that’s needed to attack an opposing team’s left side. His goal against Spain in a March friendly played in his new hometown of London was a testament to that.

Weaknesses

Despite a national team replete with European-based players (only one player from the squad plays in the Colombian league), Colombia still battles against its history at major tournaments.

The previous Copa America in 2021 was yet another example of them coming up short on the big stage, as they finished third after losing to eventual champions Argentina in a semifinal penalty shootout. The lack of a championship mindset continues to leave Colombia in the second-best category among South America’s top teams.

Tactically, they can be exposed in central midfield. Lorenzo believes 32-year-old James Rodriguez can still be Colombia’s talisman a decade on from his starring role at the 2014 World Cup but the playmaking No 10 will not be counted on to track an opposing midfield runner.

The thing you didn’t know

Last November, Luis Diaz’s father was released by left-wing guerrilla group National Liberation Army (ELN) following 13 days in captivity. After he was liberated, Luis Manuel, affectionately known as Mane, became a symbol of hope for Colombia.

One week after being reunited with his family, Mane attended Colombia’s pivotal home World Cup qualifier against Brazil. Inspired, his son scored two goals and willed Colombia to a 2-1 home win in Barranquilla.

Images of Mane’s tearful celebrations flooded social media.

It was a touching moment that quickly became the meme of choice throughout Colombia. Mane nearly collapsed from the joy of his son’s performance. The image of Mane being held up by family members after Diaz’s 79th-minute winner took on a life of its own.

El éxtasis de Santa Teresa / Mane Díaz pic.twitter.com/zRkxQtjqz8

— Diam (@DiamandDM) November 17, 2023

The majority of the memes were based around Colombian pop culture but in the end, it solidified the elder Diaz as another star of this national team.

Expectations back home

There’s a lot of optimism about this team. Diaz (Liverpool) is a true global star and a game-changing presence any national team would covet. Rodriguez still has the ability to open up a defense with this vision and clinical passing. When he wears the Colombia shirt, the former Real Madrid No 10 plays at another level.

Overall, Colombia is a solid side from top to bottom. Their harshest critics back home have issued an ultimatum: either win the Copa America or accept a role as a second-rate side when compared to Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay.

Again, history is not on Colombia’s side when it comes to elevated expectations. The scars from the 1994 World Cup, also in the U.S., in which Colombia was deemed favorites but finished last in their group with two defeats in the three matches, remain unhealed. Colombia won its lone Copa America in 2001, as the hosts against a weakened field (Argentina withdrew late on over security concerns). They reached the semifinals of the 2016 and 2021 tournaments.

The time is now for Colombia to showcase the talent it possesses and lift a trophy against the best in the region.

Colombia’s Copa America squad

Goalkeepers: David Ospina (Al Nassr), Camilo Vargas (Atlas), Alvaro Montero (Millonarios)

Defenders: Davinson Sanchez (Galatasaray), Santiago Arias (Bahia), Yerry Mina (Cagliari), Daniel Muñoz (Crystal Palace), Johan Mojica (Villarreal), Jhon Lucumi (Bologna), Carlos Cuesta (Genk), Deiver Machado (Lens)

Midfielders: James Rodriguez (Sao Paulo), Mateus Uribe (Al Sadd), Jefferson Lerma (Crystal Palace), Juan Fernando Quintero (Racing Club), Jorge Carrascal (Dynamo Moscow), Jhon Arias (Fluminense), Kevin Castaño (Krasnodar), Richard Rios (Palmeiras), Yaser Asprilla (Watford)

Forwards: Luis Diaz (Liverpool), Rafael Santos Borré (Internacional), Miguel Borja (River Plate), Luis Sinisterra (Bournemouth), Jhon Durán (Aston Villa), Jhon Córdoba (Krasnodar).

(Top photos: Getty Images; design: John Bradford)

Felipe Cardenas is a staff writer for The Athletic who covers MLS and international soccer. Follow Felipe on Twitter @FelipeCar