Former ISL star Stiven Mendoza named in Colombia’s 55-man preliminary squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026

Colombia will announce their FIFA World Cup 2026 squad on 1st June

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is almost here and the excitement is building day by day. Mexico will host the opening game of the tournament on 12th June as 48 nations get set to take to the field to be crowned the champions of the world.

While the wait for the Indian football team continues, Indian football fans might get to see a familiar name in the Colombian shirt this summer. Chennaiyin FC legend John Stiven Mendoza has been shortlisted in Los Cafeteros’ 55-member preliminary squad for the upcoming World Cup.

John Stiven Mendoza’s footballing journey

Stiven Mendoza burst onto the scene in the Indian Super League’s inaugural seasons as he arguably became the biggest name in Chennaiyin’s history after guiding the club to its first ISL title in 2015. The Colombian’s groundbreaking performance saw him earn a move to New York City FC in the MLS before he represented Bahia, Amiens, Ceara, Santos FC, Adana Demispor and Leon.

The 33-year-old is currently part of Athletico Paranaense in the Brazilian Serie A. He joined the club in 2015 and has made 44 appearances for them so far. In the current season, Mendoza has scored 5 goals in 16 Brazilian Serie A games and is a regular starter for Athletico Paranaense.

Has Mendoza played for Colombia in the past?

Stiven Mendoza was part of Colombia’s U-17 and U-20 team in the early 2010s. He eventually earned his international debut in 2019 in a friendly against Peru where the former Chennaiyin FC player came on as a substitute for Luis Diaz.

Overall, Mendoza made 2 appearances for the Colombian national team with both of them coming in 2019. He has since not gotten a chance to represent Los Cafeteros again.

Will Mendoza be part of Colombia’s 26-man squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026?

In 2019 Mendoza got into the Colombian squad on the back of some good performances for Amiens in France’s Ligue 1. Though not at the peak of his powers, the 33-year-old is enjoying a decent season in the Brazilian Serie A this time around, which gives him a decent chance to be part of Colombia’s squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Los Cafeteros already boast the likes of Luiz Diaz, Jhon Arias, Luis Suarez, Andres Gomes, and Jhon Cordoba in attack. While Mendoza might not be Colombia’s biggest goalscoring threat, the player is quite versatile and can play anywhere in attack.

Mendoza’s versatility would surely make the manager Nestor Lorenzo consider the Athletico Paranaense player ahead of announcing the squad. Colombia is expected to announce their FIFA World Cup 2026 squad on 30th June 2026.

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