One of the new additions to the Colombia National Team’s lineup against Paraguay in group D of the Copa América 2024 was Richard Ríos.
But you have to get used to that, after the solid presentation that the Antioquian made in his debut in the competition, firm and strong alongside Lerma, in a sector that increasingly suits him better.
His was Colombia’s first approach, an action in which he recovered and resolved himself with a shot that came out barely open.
Then it was to enter the rotation of positions with Lerma and Arias and the work of James’s shield to recover the ball near him and open passing lines for him in the right sector.
In case it was needed, Ríos’ second half was the justification – if it was needed – that Lorenzo’s decision was the right one, an inexhaustible man when it came to chasing rivals in the middle but also responsible for going to recovery whenever he lost the ball, like when he missed a rebound at the start and in the next action he went to cause the foul on him, brave, daring.
He no longer seemed so fluid in his movements when Uribe arrived for Lerma at 67 minutes and they also gave him a terrible kick, which cut him and caused him to bleed but he barely received a yellow card.
Until the end, Richard was a tribute to the fervor of the first time in a Copa América, a guarantee of sufficiency in the brand and a soldier in the cause of James and each of his teammates.
