The players of the Colombian national team in the friendly match against Bolivia, at the Rentschler Field stadium in East Heatford. EFE/Joe Buglewicz
Photo: EFE – Joe Buglewicz
With a squad that balances experience and youth, elements that could be decisive for a successful tournament, this Monday at 5:00 pm (Gol Caracol) the Colombian National Team will debut in the Copa América 2024 against Paraguay. While the excitement and expectation around the national team grows, El Espectador presents a detailed analysis with the most relevant data on its squad, extracted from the official website of the Copa América and the German portal Transfermarkt.
The first. The average age of the Colombian team is 28.1 years, a mix of veterans and young promises that provides both solidity and dynamism. Among the youngest are Jhon Jader Durán Palacios and Yaser Esneyder Asprilla Martínez, both only 20 years old, and they are the new generation of Colombian football that is eager to shine on the continental stage. On the other hand, the oldest are the goalkeepers David Ospina Ramírez and Camilo Andrés Vargas Gil, both 35 years old, whose experience will surely be crucial in the decisive moments of the tournament.
In terms of size, the average height of the national team is 1.81 meters, a figure that highlights the physical presence of the team led by Néstor Lorenzo and which has already gone 23 undefeated games, 20 under his direction. Although he is the third goalkeeper, Álvaro David Montero Perales is the tallest player at 2.01 meters, which gives him a significant advantage, especially in aerial plays. Yerry Fernando Mina González, who could start, is the team’s second giant, at 1.95 meters.
In contrast, the shortest footballers are the midfielders Jhon Adolfo Arias Andrade and Juan Fernando Quintero Paniagua, both 1.68 meters tall, players who despite their short stature stand out for their agility, sacrifice and overflow capacity, especially Arias, who He is a key piece in the Lorenzo era. Quintero provides other options, such as the pause, the punch, the short and long pass and the clarity to leave the forwards one-on-one.
Now, weight, that fundamental aspect in a high-performance athlete, leaves those in charge of physical preparation with relative calm. The average of Colombian players is 79.96 kg, with World Cup center back Yerry Mina leading the way (98 kg), which makes him a true defensive wall, something that he has been able to take advantage of in his career. On the other hand, Daniel Muñoz Mejía, at 70 kg, is the lightest, and this favors his role in the band, thanks to his speed, reaction and mobility.
Colombia, one of the most valuable teams in the Copa América 2024
And it was time to talk about money. According to current data from Transfermarkt, the total market value of the Colombian team amounts to 282.9 million euros, which at the weekend exchange rate amounts to 302.48 million US dollars. Thus, the average per player is 10.88 million, and Luis Fernando Díaz Marulanda stands out as the player with the highest value, valued by the portal at 75 million euros. Without a doubt, his talent and ability to unbalance are aspects that raise his price and make him a key piece of the team. However, at the other end, Camilo Vargas is the least valued player, worth 1.5 million euros, but his experience and leadership on the field are invaluable attributes for this team.
Where do ours play? Until last week when Atlético Nacional confirmed the return of David Ospina, the only player from the local league in this team was another goalkeeper, Álvaro Montero, from Millonarios. Fortunately, the Premier League is the one that contributes the most players to the national team, with a total of six players, among whom Lucho Díaz and Jefferson Lerma stand out. This reflects the growing influence of this league in Colombian football and the players’ ability to adapt and appear in one of the most competitive championships in the world. In the Brazilian league, five play and in the Russian league, three.
Another important fact is regional diversity. In this Copa América, there are players from different backgrounds, which confirms that soccer continues to be the king of Colombian sports. Soccer talent emerges from various regions of the country, but in the regional distribution of this particular call, Antioquia takes the lead. The Paisa region leads the list with eight summoned and continues to catapult itself as the largest soccer pool in Colombia. It is no small fact to remember that its robust sports infrastructure and its solid football tradition produce numerous talents.
But be careful, Chocó is still the cradle of talent, great footballers like Yáser Asprilla and Jhon Arias emerge from there, unquestionable players for the current national team project. The department stands out as an emerging region in the national football field and, although it has less sports infrastructure compared to Antioquia, it has proven to be a hotbed of pure talent, with players who have managed to stand out on the national and international level, surpassing all the competitions. barriers.
And not to mention the Valley, a region that always contributes figures. His football history and tradition is so great that he has three of his illustrious sons in the national team, continuing his rich history in the formation of outstanding footballers. This department, together with Cauca, which provides four players in search of the continental dream, maintains its reputation as one of the main regions in the production of soccer talent with athletes who stand out for their power, technique and talent.
There are the numbers for Colombia. These are data and they have to be given, but the real, real numbers are the ones that will have to appear starting this Monday, June 24, in the debut of the Copa América being played in the United States. This is a team with a good average age, neither too young nor too old, it has a physical presence, its players are becoming more valued every day, they are desired in important leagues. The data is a reflection of the richness and diversity of the soccer talent that the team has. country, but it is time to achieve great achievements. Expectations are high and fans hope that all of this will translate into a successful performance.
Main data of the Colombian national team
Average age: 28.15 years.
Youngest player: Jhon Jader Durán Palacios (20 years, 6 months and 11 days).
Oldest player: David Ospina Ramírez (35 years, 9 months and 14 days)
Average height: 1.81 meters
Tallest player: Álvaro David Montero Perales (2.01 meters)
Shortest player: Jhon Adolfo Arias Andrade (1.68 meters) and Juan Fernando Quintero Paniagua (1.68 meters)
Average weight: 79.96 kg
Heaviest player: Yerry Fernando Mina González (98 kg)
Lightest player: Daniel Muñoz Mejía (70 kg)
Total market value: 282.9 million euros
Average market value: 10.88 million euros
Most valued player: Luis Fernando Díaz Marulanda (75 million euros)
Least valued player: Camilo Vargas (1.5 million euros)
League that contributes the most players: English League (6 players)
Region that contributes the most soccer players: Antioquia (9 players)
Gerardo Andrés Nossa R. / @nossadeportes
