I find it interesting to break down a little Colombia, which presents itself, as I told you in the editorial on the first day, as one of the favorites to play the final on July 14precisely in this city, in the same stadium in which Argentina will play the last match in their group with Peru. A Colombia that looks completely renewed, which no one can beat since Néstor Lorenzo took control of the team.
First great success of the Colombian National Team. Going to look for a disciple of Pékerman. Yes, the best of Colombia in recent times came with Pékerman. How smart it was to go looking for someone who could continue with that work that had yielded so many fruits. Going to look for the usufruct of that entire campaign with one of the managers of that moment. Lorenzo had already forked his path with Pékerman some time ago, remembers Néstor Lorenzo, World Cup player with Argentina in Italy 90, chosen by Carlos Salvador Bilardo as one of his defenders. Lorenzo, a very tactical guy, a man who plays similarly and who also caught the attention of Pékerman. He has the football, the search, the attack, the lyricism, if I may say so, of Pékerman with the contraction, the work, the strategy, the tactics and the exhaustive knowledge of the rival.He is a very capable guy, who doesn’t have much press, who doesn’t have so many lights or illuminated signs, but he is a very prepared guy. Colombia’s first great success was to find someone who could continue a golden, glorious era, that of José Néstor Pekerman..
Later, a young crop of footballers, Lorenzo was encouraged to call up young boys and bring out the older ones. For example, Ospina, if he is not the best Colombian goalkeeper in history, along with Higuita, hits him on the post. He is on the substitutes’ bench. He was encouraged to give all the responsibility to another goalkeeper. He trusted Vargas, Camilo Vargas and the same with all those that you know, that I know very much and who do not play. He does not go after the proper name. What does this mean. That Borja is a substitute, that Santos Borré is a substitute, that Carrascal is a substitute, that Juanfer Quintero is a substitute. They heard the dimension, the names that I am mentioning, that they have to wait for their place, that they do not play, that they are not starters, who do not start the game or the games, or at least these first players of a very high hierarchy, the ones I named, not all of them from River, by the way, incredibly not Carrascal. Juanfer even says that Borja could return, the scorer of the goal, a great Argentine soccer player, has no place because Córdoba is playing, who is an experienced guy who plays in the minor leagues of European soccer, but whom Lorenzo views favorably and gives the opportunity.
So there is a young team, especially in defense. The centre-backs are David Son Sánchez and he costs two very good centre-backs, playing in Europe. Then there are the full-backs Mojica and Muñoz, also at a good level, especially Muñoz, who stands out at Crystal Palace, England. We move on to the midfield where the coach trusts Richard Ríos and Lerma. I honestly thought he was going to play with Mateus Uribe and Castaño. However, he started with the other two mentioned and then an ambitious scheme with a single striker in John Córdoba, with James Rodríguez, being the brain and guys who go out wide and play very fast, like the crack of Colombian football that is Luis Díaz, today the great figure in the world of Colombia. Although behind closed doors, the great figure may be captain James, the number ten, the star, one of the three best in the history of Colombia. that in the national team he returned to perform as we all know, although in San Pablo he plays intermittently and does not seem so comfortable. Arias on the one hand. Luis Díaz on the other, the permanent assistance to John Córdoba and the chance that Lorenzo has to turn around, look at the substitutes’ bench and call Borja if the game demands it or call Santos Borré so that he can hold up well on his back, to Let him play well with his teammates, so that he can be part of that triangulation of good play that Colombia has with James, with Luis Díaz… He has different options and if things don’t work he has the punch of Juanfer or he has the lucidity and good passing of Carrascal.
There is a very good team that I think can perfectly dream of going far and repeating what they already achieved in 2001.when as host they managed to win the Copa America. Watch out for Colombia, because just like Uruguay, except for Argentina, which is the top favorite, the champion of America and the World, they are doing things very well and both can dream. On top of that, emboldened by Uruguay’s 5-0 against Colombia’s 3-0 that made three against Costa Rica, which Brazil could not beat.
