Colombia name World Cup squad with five from Argentine football | OneFootball

The squad confirms the presence of players developed in Argentine football clubs and reinforces Lorenzo’s bet on names with continental experience, aiming for a feat on the big World Cup stage.

Thus, Los Cafeteros will approach the world tournament hoping that this mix delivers on the pitch and leads to a standout World Cup campaign.

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) placed Colombia in Group K of the tournament. The national team will face Uzbekistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Portugal.

The Argentine coach is seen as the architect who took the team to the 2024 Copa América final, a precedent that carries weight in the squad selection and in the expectations surrounding those called up.

Lorenzo’s presence at the helm of the Colombian national team reinforces tactical continuity and the commitment to players with experience in high-level tournaments. The coach sought balance in the squad list and prioritized profiles that were already part of the process that took the team to the continental final.

In drawing up the squad, Lorenzo’s hand is reflected both in the choice of goalkeepers and in the midfielders and forwards; his recent run with Colombia, capped by the final in the Americas, is the backdrop against which the list for the 2026 World Cup was presented.

In that sense, Lorenzo maintained clear criteria when putting together the squad, and that is why several names from Argentine football are included in the list that will represent Colombia at the World Cup.

The five call-ups who play in Argentine football and appear on the list are: Álvaro Montero (Vélez), Santiago Arias (Independiente), Kevin Castaño (River), Juan Fernando Quintero (River), and Jaminton Campaz (Rosario Central). Those names are part of the 26-player squad presented for the world tournament.

The full squad

Colombia has taken part in six World Cups — 1962, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2014, and 2018 — so in 2026 it will play in its seventh World Cup.

With the following names, it will seek to surpass its best performance, the quarterfinals reached in Brazil.

Goalkeepers

Camilo Vargas – Atlas

David Ospina – Atlético Nacional

Álvaro Montero – Vélez Sarsfield

Daniel Muñoz – Crystal Palace

Santiago Arias – Independiente

Yerry Mina – Cagliari

Davinson Sánchez – Galatasaray

Jhon Lucumí – Bologna

Willer Ditta – Cruz Azul

Yohan Mojica – Mallorca

Déiver Machado – Nantes

Midfielders

Richard Ríos – Benfica

Jefferson Lerma – Crystal Palace

Gustavo Puerta – Racing de Santander

Kevin Castaño – River Plate

Jhon Arias – Palmeiras

James Rodríguez – Minnesota United

Juan Fernando Quintero – River Plate

Jorge Carrascal – Flamengo

Juan Camilo Portilla – Athletico Paranaense

Forwards

Luis Díaz – Bayern Munich

Luis Suárez – Sporting CP

Carlos Gómez – Vasco da Gama

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.