There are only 3 days left for the FIFA World Cup-026 to start. Millions of football fans around the world are eagerly awaiting the opening ceremony of the World Cup. They are thoroughly analyzing every player, team and their strategy in the World Cup.

Some fans are discussing which countries that did not get to play in the previous World Cup are playing this time? Which countries were eliminated? What new faces were added? One of the teams in such discussion is the South American team Colombia. Colombia is taking to the field with the aim of bringing joy to its fans who are suffering after not being selected for the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

This time, the South American team Colombia is seen as a 'dark horse'. Los Cafeteros are ready to show their magic on the world stage once again, turning the pain of not qualifying for the Qatar World Cup into strength.

Colombia's World Cup journey is full of glorious moments, which began with the 1962 World Cup in Chile. At that time, Marcos Cole scored a goal directly from a corner against Soviet Union legend Lev Yashin, setting the world record for the most 'Olympic goals'.

The golden history of Colombian football is marked by Freddy Rincon's injury-time equalizer against West Germany in 1990 and the 5-0 defeat of Argentina in the 1993 qualifiers. However, the murder of Andrés Escobar after the 1994 World Cup has left a wound that will never heal in Colombian football.

Colombia's best performance to date was at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Captain James Rodriguez's six goals helped the team reach the quarter-finals for the first time. James' brilliant volley against Uruguay in the tournament also won the FIFA Puskas Award.

The team also made it to the last 16 at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. However, they lost to England on penalties. The team's failure to qualify in 2022 was a major setback for the team, which they hope to improve on in 2026. Colombia's qualifying campaign for the 2026 World Cup has been impressive. Under the leadership of coach Nestor Lorenzo, the team finished third in the South American qualifying table with 28 points after 7 wins, 7 draws and 4 losses in 18 matches.

Colombia secured their place with a win against Bolivia in September 2025, beating strong teams like Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. The team has regained its old attacking rhythm, scoring 28 goals in 18 matches.

Colombia's main weapon in this World Cup is Luis Diaz. The Bayern Munich winger has already proven his worth by scoring 7 goals in the qualifying stages. His pace and dribbling skills are sure to be a headache for opposing defenders.

Along with him, experienced captain James Rodriguez, who has won more than 125 caps, will be the backbone of the team. The experience of Davinson Sanchez in defense and David Ospina, who has a record 130 caps in goalkeeping, will be important for the team.

Coach Lorenzo has fielded the team in a 4-2-3-1 formation, which emphasizes midfield control and fast counterattacks. Colombia is in Group K at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This group includes Portugal, Uzbekistan and Congo.