Costa Rica, which had defended the walls of its fortress against Brazil with blood and fire, was overwhelmed by this Colombia which shows a completely different mentality to all the previous Colombias that this columnist saw: more competitive, more convinced, stronger in the head, more determined to win or, in the last resort, not to lose, without stage fright, more warrior, which is noticeable in the divided, in the friction. There is no revolutionary operation or novel systems that are indecipherable for the rival. It is a team that we would say is simple, that spends most of its time in the rival field because it wants to win all the games.
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Former national team players will be angry, as always, but there is a spirit that was not seen before. Was there more individual wealth in the days of 5-0? It is possible, yes, there were more brilliant names. Was there better playing in other times? Also. But this one is a rock mentally and those other versions aren’t. This one doesn’t promise, it delivers.
In that energy that comes from the chest and the head, there are banners: Luis Díaz first. Bravo, fierce in facing and taking decisions. Like in the penalty. James wanted it, but Lucho immediately grabbed the ball and said “it’s mine, now I’m the thug.” James didn’t even blink. That reflects the character of Guajiro. He showed his stripes and then executed it remarkably well: high and close to the post, unstoppable. Goalkeepers never throw themselves in there. He had to get it right to endorse with facts the decision to go for the ball himself. It does Díaz a lot of good to feel like a reference. That’s how it should be. He’s Liverpool’s crack and he should make his CV count. It doesn’t hurt, it’s a great one.
Lerma is another. By physical presence, by dedication, by power, by altruism with the team, by that noble vocation of an unknown soldier at the service of all. He is muscle and he is also brain to understand what he is for. One more: Muñoz… he looks like Carvajal, the one from Madrid. They are rough guys, who always give in to you, with a significant degree of malice and, if they have to scrape, they scrape. In addition, hard and intuitive on the mark, if you get closer than one and a half meters, leave the ball and walk away. It will be very nice to see him one-on-one with Vinicius. Those three set the tone. And one who does not speak, who looks like an administrative employee, but also transmits that winning fiber: Camilo Vargas. He receives little, and when he touches him, he always responds with solvency, seriousness and security. He is a prison guard. This generates a high level of satisfaction in field colleagues.
Let us not look for intricate tactical speculations. It is a team that tries to play well, from below, away from its goal, dominating. It is, due to a spirit of solidarity and individual virtues, an efficient team above all, with two key midfielders, who are Ríos and Lerma, in reality two assistants for everyone, those at the top, those at the bottom, the sides. The spare wheels of the rest. How magnificently Ríos and Lerma complement each other…! One goes, the other stays, one crashes, the other picks up the ball. And they always stop the opponent, they cut him off in half court.
Lorenzo is what you see: a simple individual when it comes to dressing, when it comes to answering press conferences, when it comes to communicating with players and when it comes to expressing his style. He has very clear ideas and sees football brilliantly. It is evident in his short sentences, each word in its place, each judgement measured. “We try to manage each match from control, from position, from operation,” he says. It’s what you see on the field. “We are not going step by step, we are going ball by ball.”
They asked him if he worked a lot on still balls given that 11 of the 43 goals scored in his era came that way. He did not emphasize it: “We work, yes, but I couldn’t say how much, what percentage, we did stay to rehearse after training.” And he downplayed it: “It happens that we also have James, who is one of the best centerers in the world.”
Precisely, one of the most successful decisions of Néstor Lorenzo was to believe in James when few did (this columnist included). And, above all, not to assign him specific functions on the field, leaving him free, buoyant, so that he can be the wild card, the unloading point for the wingers, the inside midfielders, the holding midfielders. Without a fixed place or task, simply receive, triangulate and shoot. Without having to run after anyone, so that he can use all his fuel to create. He is not “one of the best” but the best center in the world, above Messi, Alexander Arnold, Modric, Kroos. Each of his crosses is half a goal. He does not raise the pass to the area to see if someone hits it, he sends it intentionally, remote-controlled, bending outwards so that the header finds the ball already oriented and almost face to face. That, from the left. From the right he goes bent against the goal so that a simple touch or deflection sends it in, as in Lerma’s goal against Paraguay. Scoring two headers against Paraguay is like selling toys to China. They were made for him.
Dávinson Sánchez honored the coach’s decision to place him above Yerry Mina. He is in a spectacular moment, Dávinson, he arrives first in all of them, he doesn’t miss a single stop, he is fast, firm, he doesn’t hesitate. He has remarkable self-confidence. Without injuries, the centre-back pair is already carved in stone: Dávinson and Lucumí. Actually, this is one of those selections that will be remembered by heart: Vargas, Muñoz, Dávinson, Lucumí and Mojica; Ríos and Lerma; Arias, James, Lucho and… That’s the point. The 9th, the great headache of recent years, the position that, due to inefficiency, cost a World Cup. Borré was only removed from the starting lineup the afternoon against Paraguay. Non-existent, invisible, neither the area nor outside, neither goal nor game. Then what…? So, Córdoba. Before Costa Rica and before those who come. He won the shirt. He knows a lot with the ball, he puts his body in and they don’t move him, he attacks the spaces, he shows himself, because the one who marks the pass is the forward, not the thrower. They gave him the penalty, he scored a goal, he created another very clear one with a center back, but Lucho feinted, feinted, feinted… he is still feinting.
The appearance of John Córdoba is a relief, he was the only weak position, where there was no undisputed player. A joy. However, one cannot help but wonder why no one saw him before. He is not a kid, he is already 31 years old. And he did not learn to play yesterday. Maybe with Córdoba in those fateful seven games without goals the story would have changed. The car was missing a part to run perfectly, he found it.
Lorenzo raised an objection: “We still need to fight on an equal footing with the greats.” Therefore, beyond the guaranteed classification, it is important to put everything on the table against Brazil. To defend first place and avoid Uruguay later, and to prove to themselves that they can against a heavyweight.
At some point it will be lost, it is natural. But his preaching that “you have to be mentally focused to win” caught on. This Colombia is not afraid to win.
Last Tango
Jorge Barraza
For the time
@JorgebarrazaOK
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