00:07With their vibrant fans, bright shirts and eye-catching players,
00:12Colombia's cultural impact on football far outstrips its performance on the field.
00:19Los Cafeteros have won only one Copa America,
00:23and their best performance at the World Cup is a solitary quarter-final.
00:30They failed to qualify for Qatar 2022, consistent with missing four of the previous six World Cups.
00:39But under the management of Néstor Lorenzo, expectations have been raised.
00:45The Argentine oversaw an unbeaten run stretching over two years from 2022 to 2024,
00:52including victories over Germany, Brazil and Japan.
00:55This incredible effort only ended in extra time of the final of the Copa America to World Cup holders Argentina.
01:05Frustratingly, a run of World Cup qualification defeats followed,
01:09before a five-match unbeaten stretch sealed progress to North America.
01:19More than a relief that we were able to seal qualification that has been dragged out,
01:24because we weren't able to achieve the right results, even when we played well.
01:30Still, we knew that this was possible.
01:37I told the players that this was going to be an important game,
01:40because it could seal our place in the World Cup.
01:45But the points that we've picked up during this entire process,
01:48and the way that we went out and played like we did, wherever we needed to,
01:52and against whoever we faced, gave us the confidence that we could do it.
02:03So I'm very grateful, very grateful to everyone who supported us,
02:06and also to those who didn't support us,
02:09because they perhaps made us look at it a different way,
02:11from a critical point of view, and that helped us.
02:14So thanks to everyone.
02:23Leading the way for Colombia during this renaissance has been the evergreen James Rodriguez.
02:29In 2024, the veteran was named Copa America Player of the Tournament
02:33for steering his side to the decider.
02:37While he was still a teenager, James had already lifted trophies in Argentina and Portugal.
02:43By the age of 23, he had the 2014 World Cup Golden Boot in his collection.
02:50He went on to win silverware for fun at Real Madrid and Bayern Munich,
02:55but despite threatening, never managed to ascend to the heights of Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.
03:01And by 30, they traded in Europe for Qatar.
03:08The man set to inherit James' mantle as Colombia's chief attacking force is Luis Diaz.
03:14The dazzling forward is now with Bayern Munich,
03:16after capturing the hearts of the fans of Liverpool.
03:22I'm living a dream.
03:26I'm living a dream.
03:27Things are going my way, and that's what we've always worked toward to achieve great things.
03:34Those goals that you always planned for in your head.
03:37You always dream of qualifying, of winning trophies, of all these great moments,
03:41but you never think that it's going to be like it is.
03:47But I'm very happy and very grateful to God for the opportunity to be able to qualify for a World
03:52Cup,
03:53to be able to qualify for my first World Cup.
03:56I'm very emotional, very happy for what the team did, because we deserved it.
04:01We've been working hard through these qualifiers, and this is our reward.
04:13David Ospina is the most capped player in Colombian history.
04:16But the veteran Gloverman's place in the team now looks to have been taken by long-time understudy Camillo Vargas.
04:23Although sweeper-keeper Kevin Meyer has also impressed Lorenzo.
04:34Lorenzo's flat-backed four is marshaled by centre-halves of the highest quality.
04:39Davinson Sanchez and John Lukumi, with the imposing Yeri Mina waiting in the wings.
04:47Midfield industry is provided by Richard Rios and Jefferson Lama.
04:59That solid base allows Colombia the freedom to unleash the quality of James and Diaz,
05:05as well as Wolverhampton Wanderers schemer John Arias.
05:11What might be lacking is a focal point up front.
05:14Diaz was the team's leading goalscorer during qualifying, cutting in from the wing,
05:19while no individual scored more than two goals at the most recent Copa America.
05:27Sporting's Luis Suarez is emerging as a reliable all-round option.
05:31But John Cordoba is also likely to see plenty of action.
05:37Wildcard John Duran offers a thrilling option off the bench.
05:45Colombia have been ranked inside FIFA's top 20 for well over a decade.
05:49Their recent long unbeaten run and Copa America's silver medal
05:53demonstrates their potential to go deep at a major tournament.
05:56Parliament.
05:57Founded by the
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