Colombia national team, 9 years later Brazil 2014: what happened to that generation – International Soccer – Sports

July 4, 2014, the date will not be erased from the history of the soccer world cups, not for Colombia. That day, this Tuesday nine years ago, remained in the memory, for what could have been and was not: there was a distaste that does not go away with time. The Colombian National Team was eliminated by Brazil in the quarterfinals of the World Cup, in its best historical performance. It was a golden generation that almost a decade later has stopped shining and seems to be in its final stretch.

Many things have happened since that game when Colombia flirted with the semifinal, when the goal of Mario Yepes It was not, although it has generated so many quarrels. A painful 2-1 that he sent Colombia home, with the feeling that it was not yet the moment to leave. And everything has happened since then, like those crashes are in decline today.

End of generation?

James went to Real Madrid and he touched the sky before starting a vertiginous regression, today he is without a team; Juan Guillermo Cuadrado went to Juventus, where it became a symbol, does not have a club either; and many have already retired, such as Mario Yepes, Pablo Armero, Freddy Guarín, Abel Aguilar, Camilo Zúñiga and Jackson Martínez, among others.

James was the symbol of that Selection. He was the World Cup goalscorer with 6 goals and he scored one for Uruguay, who these days is remembered as one of the best in the World Cups. His present is a contrast. He has been without a team since April 13, almost two months.

Today James spends his days in Colombia and does not define his future and it is not clear, although his desire is to continue in Europe and continue in the National Team, like Cuadrado, who was in the recent friendlies against Iraq and Germany, but who has just left Juventus after eight years. Meanwhile, david ospina Another of the captains of the National Team, has only played two games this year with Al Nassr, due to a long injury.

Other players have spent their time in the National Team, and now they are looking to settle in: Teo Gutiérrez, another who was key in that generation of 2014, left Bucaramanga and does not define where he will play, while Carlos Bacca tries to stay in Junior.

Of that team that was led by Jose Pekerman and who threatened Brazil, the one who has just been located is Víctor Ibarbo, who after an international tour, and at the age of 33, returned and signed with América, while Cristian Zapata (36) and Carlos Sánchez (37) burn their last cartridges in Nacional and San Lorenzo, respectively.

Of that generation there are others that are still valid, such as Juan Fernando Quintero in Junior; Adrian Ramos in America; Álex Mejía in Unión Magdalena; Álvarez Balanta in Schalke 04, and Santiago Arias in Cincinnati of the MLS, although only Quintero and perhaps Balanta are on the radar of the current Colombian National Team.

The others

falcaoAbsent from the 2014 World Cup due to injury, he was part of that generation, he is still at Rayo Vallecano for now and could stay one more season. At 37 years old, Tigre’s career is already entering an epilogue stage, which takes him away from the National Team, thinking about the next World Cup.

Yerry Mina, who was not in the 2014 World Cup, is one of the Colombian National Team players who is without a team today, after ending his contract with Everton in England. Now, as a free player, he is looking for a team. He wants to continue in Europe.

Luis Fernando Muriel (32 years old) was not in the 2014 World Cup, but he is part of that generation. His present is unknown and his future uncertain, due to the few games he played last season in Atalanta. Case similar to that of Duván Zapata (32 years old), who has lost prominence.

PAUL ROMERO
Editor of EL TIEMPO

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