Colombia eye World Cup return as Lorenzo shapes new style
Argentinian coach Nestor Lorenzo is again calling up players like James Rodríguez and Juanfer Quintero, but is also moving towards a clear playing style with several new faces.
Coach Nestor Lorenzo blending experience with new faces
Colombia will begin CONMEBOL qualifiers against Venezuela
FIFA analyses style of play he is seeking to implement
He has only managed eight games for the Colombia national team; however, he knows everything inside out. The Argentinian coach Nestor Lorenzo is new to the job but not to life with the Tricolor, having served as assistant to Jose Pekerman for six years from 2012 to 2018.
The Colombia national team start the road to the FIFA World Cup 2026™ with a wound that has not yet healed: their absence from Qatar 2022 after a very tough South American qualifying group that also saw Chile and Peru miss out. Now, with the 48-team format allowing a larger number of qualified teams, the Tricolor are not just looking forward to forming part of the tournament in Mexico, the United States and Canada, but to shaping a definitive philosophy that can boost one of the most talented squads in the Americas.
Although he still has not taken charge of a competitive game and his debut will be the first fixture of the qualifiers, against Venezuela in Barranquilla, Lorenzo’s team already have their own playing style, which came to the fore most notably in the 2-0 friendly victory over Germany in June 2023.
Colombia are an intense team: they move the ball as quickly as possible from their back four (Jhon Lucumi, of Italian side Bologna, will probably be a fixture in the team for his ability in this regard), and have a number of speedy individuals with whom they look to hurt teams – Luis Diaz of Liverpool is their biggest name and they look to get him involved in one-v-ones. On top of this, they also press relentlessly, particularly after losing the ball but also when the opposing team are trying to build.
Lorenzo has designed a team (nearly always 4-3-3 or 4-5-1 when defending) to cause problems from the wings. For this, it would be logical to expect a central midfield of at least two – Jefferson Lerma, Matheus Uribe, Wilmar Barrios and Richard Ríos will be important in this area – with two wide players, such as Diaz and Juan Cuadrado, who has just left Juventus.
As such, the Colombia national team are currently identifying the players they need for their style of play in order to finish shaping the team. Below, we have highlighted three elements that could hold the key to Colombian success in the World Cup qualifiers.
In the squad for the matches against Venezuela and Chile, Lorenzo called up three high-profile players who will compete for the No10 position: Juanfer Quintero (Racing), James Rodriguez (Sao Paulo) and Jorge Carrascal (Dynamo Moscow).
Lorenzo, speaking in reference to Quintero and James, recently commented: “They have ability. On other occasions when they weren’t fit, they didn’t come with us but today they have the chance to play. They’re in good shape but there’s still room for improvement."
What is certain is that, because of the trio’s characteristics, there is the option for them to play inside when the team want a higher attacking tempo or as wingers with a wider remit. In the game against Germany, for example, none of the three featured.
“There’s a limit to the squad size – if there wasn’t a limit, he’d always be there," said Lorenzo of Falcao, the most notable absence from the squad for the first matches. "I’m really sorry and let him know that but he’ll always have a role to play. We’re looking forward to his return. When he gets some minutes, he’ll definitely come back but there is a lot of competition in this area."
El Tigre, at 37 years old, has been playing very few minutes for Rayo Vallecano – and it is certain the central striker position is vital for Lorenzo.
The No9 will need to be able to finish but also to be part of the build-up, especially by tracking back and drifting wide.
Rafael Santos Borre, now of Werder Bremen in Germany, would seemingly be perfect for this role, although he has not had much playing time. Jhon Cordoba (Krasnodar) and Mateo Casierra (Zenit) arrive with goals under their belt and could be options.
Diaz could not take Colombia to Qatar but at this point there is no doubt about his ability and place in the squad. He plays for a top team in Liverpool, where he is considered a vital piece of the jigsaw. He has started every game in the Premier League so far this season and is going through a period of good form, after recovering from a serious knee injury that kept him sidelined for the majority of 2022/23. Colombia are counting on Díaz in the role of a player who can unlock games but also has the versatility to adapt to nearly every position on the pitch.