Copa America finalist Colombia to perform well at FIFA 2026 World Cup

Last year, Colombia and their talented young players came out of nowhere to face Argentina in the Copa America final, and although Lautaro Martinez scored the winner in extra time, it’s unlikely to slow their rise to the top.

Lionel Messi’s World Cup winners needed 120 minutes of football to beat a gutsy Colombian team that looks set to make the top three in the next major tournament, bringing to an end a 28-match unbeaten run for a team rich in young talent from attack to defence.

Uruguay’s Argentine manager, Marcelo Bielsa, recently commented on the quality and depth of Uruguay’s players in every position. Bielsa said that Uruguay have a variety of number 9s who can play in the starting eleven, as well as two good players in each position, which is very rare at any level.

Colombia beat Bielsa’s Uruguay in the Copa quarter-finals despite being down a man for more than half the game, showcasing high pressing and attacking flair in the first half and team organisation and defensive tenacity in the second – all things that will translate into future cup success.

Colombia’s squad depth is very strong, with highly-rated young players barely playing in this summer’s tournament. Aston Villa’s John Duran and Watford’s Yaser Asprilla were both excellent at club level in England last season, and while they will be disappointed with their limited playing time this summer, they are young players who will excel at Los Cafeteros in the future. If they can take their club performances to the next level over the next two years, we will surely see them on the team sheet in 2026.

This summer, Colombia’s special guardian is back. James Rodríguez was named Player of the Tournament. He turned his age around during the tournament, providing a record six assists. Having just turned 33, the World Cup in a few years’ time could be his last chance to represent his country on the big stage. His set-piece ability and co-ordination between defence and attack have been crucial to Colombia’s success.

Liverpool winger Luis Diaz performed well in the tournament but didn’t shine as much as expected. In the final he was well controlled by an experienced Argentina side that was clearly planning to stifle his individual talents. Still, “Lucho” still has plenty of time left to play at the top level and will be surrounded by a better team than ever before and fired up for the next World Cup – one more reason for optimism for Colombia.

The team’s rise has been exemplified by players like Crystal Palace right-back Daniel Munoz and Palmeiras midfielder Richard Rios. Munoz was in Palace’s starting XI last season and has more recently been a mainstay for Colombia. Though Rios only made three international appearances before 2024, both players were first-choice names on the teamsheet this summer and are likely to remain so for the foreseeable future.

Like many of the team’s players, they are footballers with boundless energy when they don the yellow jersey. Rios, who comes from a futsal background, combines great energy and grace in midfield. Munoz missed this Copa final after receiving a silly red card in the semi-final. Rios played through a bruise, while Bologna defender John Lukumi was also absent after picking up an injury in the group stage.

Two years from now, if this Colombian team is healthy, in good form, and of course a few more years of growth and wiser, they could very well make a run at the FIFA 2026 World Cup. Perhaps they can already be listed as the dark horse of the tournament. With no big names on the pitch, many wouldn’t call them the favorites to win. But their form, level of performance, and ability to make it all the way to the final of this Copa suggests they are capable of doing something special.

Finally, a mention must go to the Colombian fans who painted stadiums across the United States yellow, blue and red this summer. Only Argentina comes close to matching Colombia in terms of the number of supporters attending games. They bring a level of noise and energy that no other country can match, and it was this fan activism off the pitch and within Colombia that led the team to victory in the Copa America. They will be back in droves for the 2026 World Cup.