Global InformationColombia national football team information
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| Nickname(s) | Los Cafeteros (The Coffee Growers) La Tricolor (The Tricolour) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Association | Federación Colombiana de Fútbol (FCF) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Confederation | CONMEBOL (South America) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Head coach | Néstor Lorenzo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Captain | James Rodríguez | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Most caps | David Ospina (128) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Top scorer | Radamel Falcao (36) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Home stadium | Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FIFA code | COL | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| FIFA ranking | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current | 12  2 (4 April 2024)[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Highest | 3 (July–August 2013, September 2014 – March 2015, June–August 2016) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lowest | 54 (June 2011) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First international | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Colombia 4–1 Costa Rica  (Barranquilla, Colombia; 17 February 1926)[3] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Biggest win | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Bahrain 0–6 Colombia (Riffa, Bahrain; 26 March 2015)[4] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Biggest defeat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Brazil 9–0 Colombia (Lima, Peru; 24 March 1957)[5] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| World Cup | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Appearances | 6 (first in 1962) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best result | Quarter-finals (2014) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Copa América | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Appearances | 23 (first in 1945) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best result | Champions (2001) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CONCACAF Gold Cup | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Appearances | 3 (first in 2000) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best result | Runners-up (2000) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Central American and Caribbean Games | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Appearances | 2 (first in 1938) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best result | Champions (1946) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bolivarian Games | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Appearances | 9 (first in 1938) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best result | Champions (1951) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FIFA Confederations Cup | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Appearances | 1 (first in 2003) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best result | Fourth place (2003) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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The Colombia national football team (Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Colombia) represents Colombia in men's international football and is managed by the Colombian Football Federation, the governing body for football in Colombia. They are a member of CONMEBOL and are currently ranked 14th in the FIFA World Rankings.[7] The team are nicknamed Los Cafeteros due to the coffee production in their country. The national team has been a symbol of nationalism, pride, and passion for many Colombians worldwide. Colombia is known for having a passionate fan base, and the team's dances during goal celebrations have been symbolic.[8][9]
The Colombian team has participated in six World Cups: 1962, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2014 and 2018. In the 2014 edition held in Brazil, the team achieved its best World Cup performance, reaching the quarter-finals and coming fifth in the final standings.[10]
Its greatest international achievement is winning the Copa América in 2001 as hosts, during which the team set a record by winning every match without conceding a single goal.
It also finished runner-up in 1975 and finished third five times: in 1987, 1993, 1995, 2016, and 2021. Furthermore, the team managed to make outstanding appearances at the continental level, obtaining from the Central American and Caribbean Games the gold and bronze medals in 1946 and 1938 respectively,[11] and in the Bolivarian Games the team obtained the gold medal in 1951 and the silver medal in 1961, 1973 and 1981.[12]
Colombia had one of its strongest periods during the 1990s. A 1993 match which resulted in a 5–0 win over Argentina began a special "mutual respect" rivalry between both nations.[13] The goalkeeper René Higuita achieved fame from his eccentric scorpion kick clearance against England at Wembley Stadium in 1995. Stars from Colombia's team playing in top European leagues included Carlos Valderrama, who shined in Ligue 1, Faustino Asprilla, who shone in the Serie A and Premier League, and Freddy Rincón, who played in Serie A, La Liga, and the Brazilian Championship. During this era Colombia qualified for 1990, 1994, and 1998 World Cups, only reaching the second round in 1990. After the 1994 World Cup, Colombia's performances faded in the latter half of the 1990s and early half of the 2000s, and although Colombia was the champion of the 2001 Copa América, which they hosted, the nation missed three World Cups between 2002 and 2010. Colombia was the first team to win FIFA best mover in 1993 where the achievement was first introduced and the second team after Croatia to win it twice in 2012.[14]
A new era began for Colombia with the arrival of Argentine manager José Pékerman in January 2012.[15] During the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, Colombia showed improvement over the 2011 Copa América, bringing its rank up from 40th to the top ten for the first time since 2002 and into the top five consistently for the first time since 2004.[16] After a 16-year-long wait, in 2014 Colombia finally returned to the World Cup,[17][18] where they were able to advance to the quarter-finals, the furthest Colombia has ever made it in a World Cup. Colombia's star midfielder James Rodríguez won two awards that tournament, the Golden Boot for most goals (6) and Best Goal of the Tournament, his long-range strike against Uruguay.[19] The team's most capped player ever is David Ospina with 128 caps, and their highest ever goal scorer is Radamel Falcao with 36 goals.
- ^ "Barranquilla será la sede de los dos primeros partidos de las eliminatorias, Deportes". Semana.com. 22 August 2011. Archived from the original on 7 January 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
- ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA. 4 April 2024. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
InternationalDebutwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "International friendlies: Bahrain 0–6 Colombia". bbc.com. BBC. 26 March 2015. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
- ^ "Brasil 9–0 Colombia :: Copa América 1957 :: Ficha del Partido". ceroacero.es (in Spanish). Ceroacero. 24 March 1957. Archived from the original on 7 January 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
- ^ Elo rankings change compared to one year ago. "World Football Elo Ratings". eloratings.net. 27 March 2024. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
- ^ "Fifa/Coca Cola World Ranking". FIFA.com. 27 May 2021. Archived from the original on 15 July 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- ^ Gutierrez, Teofilo (15 July 2015). "Gutierrez: Colombia are one big family". FIFA. Archived from the original on 28 March 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
- ^ "World Cup Team Profile: COLOMBIA". 4 June 2014. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2014 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Colombia closes its best participation in the World Championships". Sietedias.co (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
- ^ "Barranquilla: the memory of the V Central American and Caribbean Games, in 1946" (in Spanish). Colombian Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 25 January 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
- ^ "Bolivarian Games Caracas 1951". Vinotinto.com (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 28 July 2020. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
- ^ "The Two Escobars HD (esp/eng) ESPN 6 of 11". 28 December 2010. Retrieved 30 June 2014 – via YouTube.[dead YouTube link]
- ^ "Spain finish 2012 on top, Colombia in fifth". FIFA. 19 December 2012. Archived from the original on 14 June 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
- ^ "Presentación oficial José Néstor Pekerman". FCF (in Spanish). 16 January 2012. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
- ^ "Portugal go third as Colombia fly into top ten". FIFA. 3 October 2012. Archived from the original on 10 February 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
- ^ "Colombia qualify, Ecuador edge closer". FIFA.com. 12 October 2013. Archived from the original on 17 October 2013.
- ^ "Colombia's path to qualification". FIFA.com. 12 October 2013. Archived from the original on 23 October 2013.
- ^ "Colombia's James Rodriguez awarded 'Goal of 2014 World Cup' for wonder strike against Uruguay". For The Win. 21 July 2014. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2022.