The Colombia National Team was left without the World Cup: these would be the reasons for the debacle

The Colombia National Team, after two consecutive appearances at the world championships, will not be present at the 2022 Qatar World Cup. The Tricolor scored six points in the last two matches of the Playoffs, however, it was not enough and came in sixth place one point behind the Peruvian National Team, who for the second time won the repechage. The goals and triumphs came late and could not compensate for the regular season of the national team who, after more than 10 years, will not be present at the national team competition.

Reinaldo Rueda's team broke the bad streak of wins in the Playoffs against Bolivia, 3-0 was a balm for the coach who reached the last match with options. Against Venezuela did the job, James Rodríguez's goal was enough to keep the three points, however, Peru, from the 4th minute did what it had to do and secured its qualification. The match in Cachamay came to an end and with the final whistle the road to Qatar also ended.

La Tricolor played 18 matches in the Playoffs, four games under the direction of Carlos Queiroz (One win, one draw and two losses) and 14 under the command of Reinaldo Rueda, who arrived after the very hard fall of the Colombian National Team in Quito and after his unexpected departure from the Chilean national team. Since his arrival on the team, he achieved four wins, seven draws and three losses. This is how the national team scored a total of 23 points, leaving one from Peru (qualifying playoff) and three from Ecuador (direct qualifying).

You can also read: Colombia won 1-0 against Venezuela, but it was not enough for the Qatar 2022 World Cup repechage

To understand the situation of the Colombia National Team and why it did not participate in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, it is important to note that, although it was mathematically possible to qualify on the last date, it was already disputed that Reinaldo Rueda's team lacked many important aspects that were evidenced by the throughout the Playoffs. The departure of Pékerman, the era of Queiroz and the change of technician are some of the factors to consider.

The end of the Pékerman era: The Argentine took a young generation in 2012 and managed to make it one of the main protagonists in Brazil 2014; supported by the experience of some leaders such as Mario Alberto Yepes, footballers such as David Ospina, Radamel Falcao, James Rodríguez and Juan Guillermo Cuadrado began to exploit their capabilities in the Tricolor. In Russia 2018 many of these players already had enormous experience and were a more mature team. The basis of this Colombia National Team was formed and worked largely by José Néstor Pékerman, so his departure generated an impact on the dressing room.

Carlos Queiroz and his short process: A huge expectation generated the arrival of the Portuguese to the Colombian team and his first big challenge was the 2019 World Cup in Brazil. A 2-0 win against Argentina and their ranking in first place in group B with nine points filled the team's fans with excitement, finally staying in the quarterfinals. However, in the Playoffs things didn't turn out in the best way. In the first two dates he scored four points, however in the third match he lost 0-3 to Uruguay in Barranquilla and then in Quito he had his hecatombe by falling 6-1, a score that stoned his time in the national team.

The change of coach in the middle of competition: After the rout against Ecuador, Reinaldo Rueda managed to lead the Colombian National Team that was beaten and fragmented. A victory in Lima and a draw with Argentina in Barranquilla helped to defuse the crisis. In the 2020 Copa América he won third place, however, the team's performance was not quite convincing. Then in Playoffs he played 12 matches, of which he won three, drew six and lost three.

The lack of goal and victories: After the 3-1 victory against Chile on September 9, 2021, the Colombian National Team could only score again after more than five months, there were seven matches where the forwards could not send the ball to the back of the net, so they recorded two wins, four draws and three losses. A rough patch that took the toll on the team.

No referents or leaders on the playing field: The Colombian National Team has had several players who over time have become the main benchmarks on the field of play, however, this time those who once led the team, did not have that weight in the Playoffs. Falcao, James Rodríguez and Juan Guillermo Cuadrado were unable to carry the Tricolor baton.

Neither collective nor individual play: Unlike in other years, this time the team failed to combine their pieces to form a solid base, on the contrary, the entry and exit of several players prevented having a solid base that was supported by players who were going through a great time. Individuals were not decisive either, apart from the case of Luis Díaz, who has been one of the few players on the team that has had exponential growth in recent months.

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