Colombia's roster for the 2019 Copa America
The 23 men to represent Colombia at Brazil 2019 have been chosen. James Rodriguez and Radamel Falcao are expected inclusions but Carlos Bacca has been omitted after a poor 2018/19 season.
Unfortunately, Juan Fernando Quintero is not available for call-up due to a serious knee injury and will thus watch the competition from home. Elsewhere, Duván Zapata, the Atalanta forward who impressed for his club and guided them to a Champions League berth, will fight for the number 9 role with the legendary Falcao.
Goalkeepers: David Ospina (Napoli), Álvaro Montero (Deportes Tolima), Camilo Vargas (Deportivo Cali)
Defenders: Dávinson Sánchez (Tottenham Hotspurs), Yerry Mina (Everton), Cristian Borja (Sporting Lisbon), Santiago Arias (Atlético Madrid), Cristian Zapata (AC Milan), William Tesillo (León), John Lucumí (Racing Genk), Stefan Medina (Monterrey)
Midfielders: Gustavo Cuéllar (Flamengo), Mateus Uribe (América), Wílmar Barrios (Zenit St Petersburg), Jéfferson Lerma (Bournemouth), James Rodríguez (Bayern Munich), Edwin Cardona (Pachuca), Juan Guillermo Cuadrado (Juventus)
Forwards: Radamel Falcao (AS Monaco), Luis Muriel (Fiorentina), Duván Zapata (Atalanta), Luis Díaz (Junior de Barranquilla), Roger Mártinez (América)
Who are the key players?
James Rodriguez
James Rodriguez will undoubtedly be one of Colombia's main man. Unfortunately, his fitness could be an issue as he played a full 90 minutes on only three occasions with Bayern Munich last season.
Regardless, the Real Madrid man remains a key figure for Los Cafeteros. His creativity and knack for scoring goals make him a prized asset for Carlos Queiroz. Hopefully, he will be fully fit once the tournament kicks off.
Radamel Falcao
Not only is he the South American giant's captain, but he is also their all-time leading goalscorer with 33 strikes for his national team. Falcao might be 33, but his experience will be priceless as Colombia aims to lift the 2019 Copa America title.
Duván Zapata
With 23 goals for Atalanta last term, Duván Zapata was more prolific than Falcao in 2018/19. The 28-year-old was one of the stars in Serie A, helping his team secure a Champions League spot. His next target will be silverware with the national side.
Who is the head coach of Colombia?
Carlos Queiroz is the man in charge of Los Cafeteros. After guiding Iran in the recent FIFA World Cup and AFC Asian Cup tournaments, the Portuguese boss left the Middle-Eastern nation in favor of a move to South America.
What are Colombia's fixtures at the 2019 Copa America?
Match details, result and original broadcast info
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Match details, result and original broadcast info
Colombia 1 - 0 Qatar
June 19, 2019 5:30pmEstádio Cícero Pompeu de Toledo (Morumbi) (São Paulo, São Paulo)This match has ended. Below are the original Live broadcast details for this match.
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Match details, result and original broadcast info
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What are Colombia's chances of winning the Copa America?
While the likes of Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay are considered as bigger favorites, do not count out Colombia. South America's fourth highest-ranked nation by FIFA has enough talent to upset their rivals.
Questions linger over whether Queiroz will be able to wrap up preparations in time, having only taken up this position in February 2019. Furthermore, the fitness of James Rodriguez, their star player, is a worry.
All of the aforementioned points could derail Colombia's campaign. However, should Los Cafeteros overcome those obstacles, they could go far in the 2019 Copa America tournament.
