2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil

Biggest Sporting Event on the Earth

Colombia

Kris 11:49 PM , , , , , No comments

Colombia - Group C (Greece, Ivory Coast, Japan)


Colombia has qualified for the tourney after a gap of 16 years and they are sporting a team as strong as their 90's Golden Generation. But the talking point surrounding Colombia 's current World Cup campaign is Falcao's injury

Profile - The Golden Generation Returns

Colombia has experienced their footballing highs during the 90's, when they have qualified for three consecutive World Cups and consistently performing in Copa America. After a brief slump, following the murder of Andres Escobar, the team slowly regained and remained in top 5 consistently since 2004
Colombia features highly rated strike force and a solid defense although they look not so adept in converting corners or scoring from headers

Colombian Football Federation (FCF)
Confederation: CONMEBOL (South America)
Coach: Jose Pekerman (ARG)
FIFA Ranking: 5 (8-May-2014)
Nickname: Los Cafeteros (The Coffee Growers)
Key Players: Falcao, Yepes, Perea
Legends: Valderrama, Asprilla, Higuita

History

After a 1962 World Cup appearance, Colombia had to wait another 28 years before they qualified for Italy 90. It is their best World Cup performance so far with them reaching the round of 16, before losing to Cameroon due to a crazy game play by eccentric goalie Rene Higuita, when he lost the ball 32 m from the goal. Colombia then featured in the next two cups 
Colombia also won the 2001 Copa America title at home

Qualification - Home Form

Their qualification hit a roadblock when Argentina defeated them at home, which resulted in Coach Alvarez replaced by Pekerman and this turned to be a pivotal movement of the campaign as Colombia made their home ground at Barranquilla a fortress from then on. They finished second to Argentina in CONMEBOL qualifiers with just four losses

Prospects - Set to Qualify

Colombia couldn't ask for a better group to get through. Although the other teams in the group can pose a few problems, Colombia can be hopeful they can pull it off and if Radamel Falcao is 100% fit, they can even dream of going much further as they face a prospect of meeting their South American counterparts Uruguay and Brazil on the way to final

Squad

The final 23 for Colombia were announced by Pekerman on June 2, Falcao was left out

Goalkeepers:
David Ospina (Nice), Faryd Mondragon (Deportivo Cali), Camilo Vargas (Independiente Santa Fe)
Defenders:
Mario Yepes (AC Milan), Cristian Zapata (AC Milan), Pablo Armero (West Ham, on loan from Napoli), Camilo Zuniga (Napoli), Santiago Arias (PSV Eindhoven), Eder Alvarez Balanta (River Plate), Carlos Valdes (San Lorenzo)
Midfielders:
Fredy Guarin (Inter Milan), Juan Cuadrado (Fiorentina), Victor Ibarbo (Cagliari), James Rodriguez (Monaco), Abel Aguilar (Toulouse), Juan Fernando Quintero (Porto), Carlos Sanchez (Elche), Aldo Leao Ramirez (Morelia), Alexander Mejia (Atletico Nacional)
Forwards:
Jackson Martinez (Porto), Carlos Bacca (Sevilla), Adrian Ramos (Hertha Berlin), Teofilo Gutierrez (River Plate)
*Fredy Gaurin carries a suspension from qualifiers and will miss the first group game against Greece

May 29: Jose Pekerman trimmed the squad to 26 members after excluding injured Valencia and other three members
May 13: A 30-man provisional squad was announced by coach Jose Pekerman

Fixtures

Colombia vs Greece on June 14 at Belo Horizonte
Colombia vs Ivory Coast on June 19 at Brasilia
Japan vs Colombia on June 24 at Cuiaba

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