Colombia announce squad for October international break

Rajarshi has been part of Khel Now since 2022, and he covers world football.

Published at :October 12, 2023 at 4:50 AM

Modified at :October 12, 2023 at 4:50 AM

Colombia announce squad for October international break

James Rodriguez has been included in Colombia for October international break

The regional football organisation announced on Thursday that James Rodriguez and Juan Fernando Quintero have rejoined Colombia's team for the World Cup qualifying matches against Uruguay and Ecuador.

Richard Rios, an untested player for Palmeiras, was added along with right-back Santiago Arias and attacker Jhon Cordoba by manager Nestor Lorenzo.

There is no justification for underestimating their capacity to stun this weekend. With a centre-back, they have proven reliable at the back. Although they have been one of the more unpredictable teams up front.

The South American team has represented one of the World Cup's greatest successes thus far, but none has broken new ground as much as they have.

Radamel Falcao, the most career goals scored for Colombia, who served up just eight minutes so far this year for Spanish club Rayo Vallecano, did not make the 26-man roster.

David Ospina of Al-Nassr and Duvan Zapata of Atalanta were both omitted by Lorenzo.

Rodriguez was unable to play after leaving Olympiacos in April, and he was unable to play in Colombia's exhibitions against Germany and Iraq in June.

Late in July, the 32-year-old joined Sao Paulo, and since then, he has played four times for the Brazilian team.

Quintero, 30, has not competed for the nation until March 2022 due to a string of injuries he has suffered in the past few years.

The prior Porto and River Plate player joined Racing Club in Argentina earlier this month on a three-and-a-half-year deal, and he has made an excellent first impact including a goal and an assist in three starts.

Colombia's full squad ahead of international matches

Goalkeepers: Alvaro Montero, Camilo Vargas, K Mier.

Defenders: Carlos Cuesta, Daniel Munoz, Davinson Sanchez, Deiver Machado, Jhon Lucumi, Johan Mojica, Santiago Arias, Yerry Mina.

Midfielders: James Rodriguez, Jefferson Lerma, Jorge Carrascal, Juan Fernando Quintero, Juan Guillermo Cuadrado, Matheus Uribe, Richard Rios, Wilmar Barrios.

Forwards: Jhon Arias, Jhon Cordoba, Jhon Jader Duran, Luis Diaz, Luis Sinisterra, Mateo Cassierra, Rafael Santos Borre.

Rajarshi Shukla

After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.