Recent years have seen football championships, international summits and election fever in Colombia. 2025 has none of that sort of event to provide a natural hook for the year to pivot around. However, there’s no shortage of things going on in the country. 2024 certainly had plenty going on.

Critically, 2026 has the possibility to be huge. There will be one of the most important elections in recent history next year to determine who succeeds Gustavo Petro as Colombian president, a World Cup in which la sele could well shine and much more besides.

Some of the preparation for that will bleed into this year, especially towards the end of 2025 in Colombia. In many ways much of what happens this year will end up affecting the following year and that opens up space for unexpected occurrences – something Colombia specialises in.

So, it’s an odd year that has ‘transition’ written all over it. But Colombia has a habit of springing surprises. With little on the agenda in the way of big events, it’s a hard year to call. Be sure to come back in a few months time and tell us how we got it all wrong.

Political manoeuvres in the dark

This is president Gustavo Petro’s final full year in power. Due to term limits in the Colombian system, the final six months of an administration often ends up as somewhat of a lame duck affair. If Petro can’t get something through before Christmas, it’s likely never happening.

More pertinently, he has to get a budget approved and that’s not going to be easy. He wants a tax reform, and those haven’t been easy to get through in recent years. Few people like paying tax at the best of times and in a cost of living crisis even less so.

Towards the end of the year, the riders and runners for the 2026 elections will become clearer as candidates jockey for position. There are a few hats in the ring already, but more will come thick and fast around autumn time. For a country that has never had a female head of state, there are a few intriguing names bouncing around.

It’s common for candidates to represent a range of parties, which involves a sort of primary process. Those usually take place in December or early January, meaning campaigns will be in full flow well before year end. 

Former Bogotá mayor Claudia López has expressed interest in running for the big office, as most ex-mayors do. The current mayor’s brother, Juan Manuel Galán also appears to be in the mix. Peñalosa might have another go and Fajardo probably isn’t done yet.

Vice president Francia Márquez may take a tilt, although she’s had a rough time as VP. Gustavo Petro’s wife Verónica Alcocer’s name has been mentioned, but that’s starting to die down a bit now as she has taken a back seat in recent months. Gustavo Bolívar recently finished third in a two horse race for the mayorship of Bogotá, but that hasn’t daunted him. 

Luis Gilberto Murillo resigned as canciller recently, which almost certainly means he’s going to enter the race. A highly able politician, he has generally done a good job on foreign affairs in the shadow of Petro and was seen as a safe pair of hands. His replacement is the precocious Laura Sanabria, continuing her ascent through Colombian politics.

From the right, things are far less clear. The definite candidate so far is Vicky Dávila, editor of Semana. She seems to enjoy the support of Uribe, though is not an established political figure with a base and electoral machine. There’s often been talk of Maria Fernanda Cabal running, but it’s one of the few subjects she remains tight-lipped about.

Can Petro secure a legacy?

Quite apart from the start of the presidential election cycle will be the question of Petro’s legacy. He came into power promising much but has so far delivered little. The pressure is on this year to get something big passed – not only for his pride but also the success of leftist candidates to succeed him. He’s going to try health reform again, but that was effectively sunk last year.

It’s not clear what is achievable. Various bills he has proposed have run into holdups within the Senate and he seems unwilling and/or unable to negotiate or compromise in order to get them passed. With time running out, he may break the habit of a lifetime and bend.

On the international stage, there are likely to be further tensions with the Maduro regime in Venezuela. Ex presidents of Colombia Iván Duque and Álvaro Uribe have called for action after last year’s election, leading Caracas to respond angrily. Petro remains cautiously friendly but that doesn’t seem to get him anywhere.

Of course, the return of Trump has already blown apart US-Colombia relations, with a well-publicised spat between the two presidents that ended up with no real change in deportations and plenty of anti-Colombian feeling in the new administration. 

In the end, both sides claimed victory, one more convincingly than the other and the threat of sanctions remains. On top of that, hundreds of visa processes were affected, aid will likely be cut and military operations and collaboration are in tatters. There’s a lot of work on to restore good feelings and it’ll likely take the whole year or more.

Germany is currently reconsidering visa-free access for Colombians, following a spike in asylum claims in the country. That follows the UK, which abruptly revoked visa-free access for Colombians for the same reason last year.

Peace sells, but who’s buying?

The various peace processes are in serious risk of collapse this year, most notably with the ELN. After recent clashes, Petro’s gone as far as to declare a state of emergency in Catatumbo and thousands of people are fleeing the zone.

That’s unlikely to end quickly and even if it does, the effects will linger far longer. All those displaced people will have to rebuild their lives whether they decide to go back or not, extra taxes have been announced to support the effort and of course distrust on both sides will remain.

None of the other processes have gone well, with armed groups on the northern coast making no real progress and FARC dissidents running rings round the state negotiators. It’s been years now of broken promises and wasted time and there’s not much to suggest any of that changing in the short term.

However, there’s plenty of incentive to get things done, and it’s not unusual for acuerdos to come seemingly from thin air. The aforementioned political jockeying may focus a few minds and get people to a deal. After all, Petro is by far the most receptive president any of these groups are likely to deal with.

Local issues

Despite the beautiful sunny days, Bogotá life is a bit of a grind for many at the moment. Crime remains stubbornly high, the Metro works are making it harder to get around the city and water cuts are continuing. Mayor Galán had an OK first year, but has few big achievements to point at. This year he could do with a big win. 

Crime has been top of bogotanos’ concerns for a long while but the numbers remain stubbornly high. Few people believe the official figures, especially as homicides are up – now higher per capita than Medellín. This is one of those things that can burn slowly and suddenly explode – hopefully not this year. 

Trash, too, has been an ongoing problem since both Petro (then mayor) and Peñalosa encountered troubles with the system. Since then it’s been mainly ignored, but rats and other vermin are all over the city again now. With hot, dry day now the norm, this is in danger of becoming the new normal. 

Metro works are now in full flow ahead of the projected 2028 finish date. Closures of key Transmilenio stations are part of this process as many metro stations will be built above extant Transmi stations. That means you can expect even more disruption among the Caracas, both for public transportation and private cars.

There will certainly be a lot more noise about water, at least in the initial months. La Niña barely arrived last year and finished early. With limited rainfall well into the traditionally dry months of January and February, a lot hangs on the springtime rainy season. Until then, water rationing will continue and may intensify.

Although few are predicting a repeat of last year’s forest fires, that’s certainly far from impossible. Most of the same conditions are in place – extended dry weather, high daytime temperatures and careless people are all in abundance once again.

Worryingly, Petro’s on the warpath again. He spent a lot of time arguing with Claudia López, but has until now left Galán’s administration alone. Now though, he’s threatening to pull funding for the capital again, citing budget problems. Whether he’ll go through with it is unclear, but that won’t help matters.

That’s Entertainment

As ever, there’s a feast of capital entertainment in the months ahead. After the roaring success of last year’s event, Festival Estéreo Picnic will be out to solidify itself in the heart of the capital. Later in the year, Cordillera will fulfil a similar brief. Then there’s the various al Parques and plenty of big gigs coming to town.

Festival Estéreo Picnic has a strong lineup and is head and shoulders above the rest of the Bogotá entertainment offerings. Even if the eclectic selection of Tool and Timberlake, Rodrigo and Morissette are not your cup of tea, there’s cracking local talent early doors.

For one off gigs, Shakira is playing Campín in February which will be huge. Also in springtime is posh Geordie Sting and The Offspring, who absolutely levelled Estéreo Picnic last year. Armenian-American metal legends System Of A Down arrive in April and for heavy fans there’s also the Linkin Park tour.

Smaller (musically, although Kylie is coming too) acts you might want to check out include Colombian songstress Juliana, Basque punk polymath Fermin Muguruza and Valeria Castro. Latin legends abound, from Enrique Bunbury to Molotov via Grupo Niche and more. 

A sporting chance

This will be a fairly quiet year in sporting terms, it seems, with few big events in the calendar. There are no Olympics or World Cups to look forward to. Locally, the developing Tour Colombia has been cancelled and doesn’t currently look likely to return. The Copa América Femenina takes place in Ecuador and althouth the women’s game get less fanfare, they deliver results.

With seven out of 10 teams qualifying for the 2026 men’s World Cup, there’s little jeopardy for the impressive Colombian men’s team. However, they have a strong chance of getting a top seed if they continue to do well in the FIFA rankings. They’re currently 12th and both Uruguay and Germany are eminently catchable.

The women’s team, however, get the chance to go one better than last time and claim a first ever Copa América Femenina. Led by precociously talented wonderkid Linda Caicedo, las superpoderosas manage to punch above their weight with limited funding. That means a fighting chance of a glorious return from Ecuador, so keep an eye on them.

One thing that won’t be continuing in the capital is the Falcao-Millos love affair. While his time living the dream with los embajadores was relatively fruitful, he won’t be returning this year in a dispute over wages. 

It seems like a lifetime ago that we were talking of a golden age for Colombian cycling, and it’s entirely possible that there could be small reasons to celebrate in the summer. The likes of Quintana and Chaves are older now but could take a stage somewhere, whereas Dani Martínez shone last year and all eyes are on Egan Bernal’s comeback trail.

A year of waiting, or time for a surprise?

While it does seem like the sort of year that’s not going to go anywhere, there’s so many plates spinning in so many areas that it’s entirely possible something will arrive without warning. The trickier part is working out what that will be.

Obviously, it would be good for a breakthrough to come in one or more of the various peace talks, but that seems like one of the longer shots at this moment in time. The chance of Petro getting something substantive through parliament is also fairly unlikely.

There’s a better chance of heavy rains in April-May which could get the reservoirs full again and see the end of rationing. However, that’s still a way away and the signs in January haven’t been encouraging at all.

So in the end there’s always the chance that things will come out of left-field, much as the Petro-Trump spat did. More upheaval in foreign affairs is distinctly possible, and closer to home displeasure at general conditions and cost of living mean there’s the chance of civil unrest in the cities breaking out over some triggering event.

One thing is for sure: Colombia in 2025 is unlikely to be uneventful even if it doesn’t end up being a historic year. As ever, the country retains the ability to spring surprises and the news cycle will continue to run at a breakneck pace. Let’s hope it’s eventful in a good way.

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A star-studded investment consortium has acquired Bogotá soccer team La Equidad. 

The purchase was partially financed by U.S. actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney who co-own the British soccer club Wrexham. 

The celebrities formed part of the U.S.-based Tylis-Porter Group, which reportedly paid over USD $30 million for the team, which ranked 13th out of 20 in the 2024 Colombian league phase.

In addition to the A-list Wrexham FC owners, the consortium also included stars such as Mexican-American actress Eva Longoria and U.S. model Kate Upton. 

The group is named after Al Tylis, a real estate investor, and Sam Porter, who was previously a soccer executive at the Major League Soccer (MLS) team D.C. United as well as Welsh side, Swansea City. 

Reynolds and McElhenney’s purchase of La Equidad makes it the third soccer team in their portfolio.

It is not their first foray into Latin America’s soccer business; in April 2024, the pair acquired a minority stake in Mexican team Necaxa. 

The Tylis-Porter Group had previously bought 50% of Necaxa in 2021 and sold a portion of the team to Reynolds and McElhenney who in turn sold the group a portion of Wrexham. 

Reynolds and McElhenney made headlines in 2021 when they purchased Wrexham FC, at the time a fifth division team, for USD $2.5 million. 

Since acquiring the club, the actors have leveraged their celebrity status to boost its profile. 

Notably, they produced a documentary series on the Disney+ streaming platform called Welcome to Wrexham which follows their management of the team and its players’ lives.

Varsity also reported in July 2024 that filming had begun on a similar series titled Welcome to Necaxa that will feature Reynolds, McElhenney and Longoria.

It remains unclear if the stars have similar plans for La Equidad.

In a statement on social media, La Equidad celebrated the club’s purchase.

“It fills us with pride to announce that La Equidad Football Club is beginning a new stage,” the club wrote.

It also said that the sale has been approved by the DIMAYOR, the organization that oversees the major soccer leagues in Colombia.

Speaking to The Athletic, Porter suggested that the consortium hopes to oversee improvements in the club’s standing.

“This is an incredible opportunity to enhance the club’s growth in every aspect and to become an integral part of Colombian football,” said Porter. 

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Life in Bogotá is stressful for the average resident. The bulk of the city’s inhabitants wake up early, endure long commutes on crowded buses and some of the world’s most traffic-clogged roads, work long hours at jobs that frequently pay the USD$350/month minimum wage, and return home to (hopefully) enjoy a modest dinner with the family, perhaps dance a little, rest and do it again the following day, all while breathing polluted air, enduring sexism, or dodging the still too numerous petty street criminals or the recently arrived legions of motorcycles.

Monday through Saturday, that is.

However, on 50 Sundays (and 17 blissful Monday holidays per year), the weekly miracle known as Ciclovía transforms Bogotá into, with all due apologies to Disneyland, the happiest place on Earth. Imagine a crowded developing world city’s most prevalent public space, its streets, converted from noisy, congested, contaminated, and dangerous corridors into places of relaxation and human-powered physical activity for perhaps a million people. That’s the reality nearly 70 times annually in Bogotá.

Oh, the things one sees! Hundreds of small children taking their first-ever bike rides; Numerous elderly folks determined to not take their last bike rides. Dozens of lycra-clad Nairo Quintana wannabees (and who knows, they just might make it!). Teens on dates or palling around with their friends. Adolescents and younger children enjoying adult-free playtime reminiscent of bygone eras. Parents sharing bikes with small children. Wheelchair users. Skateboarders. Dog walkers. Joggers. Reckless teenage boys treating all of the above as obstacles as they race their bikes unencumbered by a sense of either safety or common courtesy. Parks full of exercise groups, relaxing families, fruit juice and empanada sellers, and bike repairmen. Smiles all around. It’s simply astonishing. 

The first iteration of what soon came to be known as the Bogotá Ciclovía took place on December 15, 1974. Following in the wake of 1970’s Earth Day, similar events in cities such as Seattle and Calgary(!) had preceded it, but Bogotá’s version persisted while others’ receded, and over the decades Bogotá Ciclovía emerged as the leading global model for the conversion of roadways into public spaces to be shared by humans outside of vehicles. During its first two decades, the Ciclovía route varied in length from 20-70 kilometers/12-44 miles, both growing and shrinking at times. It has held steady at 120+ kilometers/75+ miles since the mid-1990s. Cities around the world – including Guadalajara, Los Angeles, and hundreds more – have been inspired by Bogotá’s example to create open streets projects of their own. It’s now December 2024, so Bogotá Ciclovía is celebrating its 50th birthday. Academics and other experts from around the world are gathering here for a #Ciclovia50 conference at the University of Los Andes and other events marking this important anniversary. But what does it all mean?

The Bogotá Ciclovía is so many things. Sure, it’s among the world’s largest recurring bike rides. Yes, it serves as a gateway to bicycling for many who eventually join the ranks of Bogotá’s hundreds of thousands of daily bike commuters. But it’s so much more than a bike ride or a pleasant day in the park. 

The Ciclovía showcases Colombians as the shiny, happy people they truly are. For example, there’s surprisingly little visible direct involvement from the local government in Ciclovía beyond dedicated Sports and Recreation Department staff waking up very early to place orange cones, metal barriers, and tape to denote the nearly 80-mile route. Shockingly to North American eyes, the police are seldom seen. Starting in late 2019, I have also noticed a significant reduction in the number of youthful, smiling, helpful, Baywatch-inspired Guardians employed to troubleshoot along the route as well as the trained high-school students who complete their public service requirement for graduation by patrolling intersections during the Ciclovía. Therefore, it’s mostly up to the cycling, walking, and skating Bogotanos to sort out for themselves how to proceed. That’s even as hundreds upon hundreds of people pass through complex intersections or travel along reconfigured or partially-closed streets with no special signalization – and where the route often runs contrary to the normal Monday-Saturday flow. Ciclovía is thus testament to Colombians’ fundamental decency, their ability to manage themselves and cooperate and get along with one another. This includes non-participants: Over the decades motorists have adapted to the unusual street and intersection arrangements and learned how to conduct themselves around people outside of vehicles; I have never witnessed a single bike-car collision during the 250+ Ciclovías in which I have participated. Un buen ritmo, indeed.

Ciclovía is also remarkably effective social policy: In a war-torn country with enormous dislocations owing to decades of rural political violence as well as more typical migration from rural zones to urban areas motivated by economics, Bogotá is Colombia’s safety release valve. The city’s population has grown from 2,000,000 in the 1960s to 8,000,000+ today. Granting people 70 days per year to roam about afoot or by bicycle free of fear of dangerous motor vehicles, to breathe cleaner air, to enjoy quieter parks, to sip fruit juice or converse without having one’s thoughts or utterances drowned out by noise from motorcycles? All this serves to reduce the smoldering tensions in this politically charged city. Ciclovía also effectively temporarily integrates this socially divided city; People travel through neighborhoods, rich or poor, that they otherwise would hardly ever see. This is smart governance.

Roughly 70 days per year, therefore, Bogotá is among the few large cities in the world with a healthy relationship to the motor vehicle. All this does so much to restore – at least from 7am to 2pm on Sundays and holidays – a sense of tranquility, harmony, joy, and balance to the beautiful people of Bogotá who so richly deserve it. 

¡Happy 50th Birthday Bogotá Ciclovía! 

Chris N. Morfas (IG @thehappygringo) lived in Bogotá from 2014 to 2022 (and he may yet come back!). He’s participated in 250+ Bogotá Ciclovías (along with like events in Mexico City, Los Angeles, Santiago, Medellín, San Francisco, Guadalajara, Chicago, Sacramento…). Previously, he was a longtime nonprofit and government executive leading efforts to create bicycle-friendly communities in California and across the USA.

Photos by Chris N. Morfas

A version of the essay appeared (in Spanish) in La Silla Vacia.

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Last Sunday, November 17, Bogotá hosted its first Gran Fondo de Ciclismo, a cycling race that saw over 5,500 participants ride through the capital.

The tour was the largest of its kind in Latin America and was styled as the ‘Gran Fondo de Ciclismo x Egan Bernal’. Bernal is a high-profile Colombian cyclist who became the first Latin American to win the Tour de France in 2019.

The event was organised by the celebrity cyclist’s company Cycla with support from Bogotá’s Alcaldía Mayor.

Starting in the Plaza de Bolívar, cyclists were able to choose between two routes, the 115km “gran fondo” or the 60km “medio fondo”.

Both circuits led participants through nine neighborhoods of the city: La Candelaria, Santa Fé, Teusaquillo, Los Mártires, Chapinero, Usaquén, Suba, Engativá and Fontibón. 

Bernal, a Bogotá native, described the race as furthering the capital’s reputation as a cycling city.

“It is an honor to be a part of Bogotá’s Gran Fondo de Ciclismo, an event that not only establishes our city as the world capital of the bicycle, but which also promotes the use of cycling as a healthy activity that is accessible to all,” said the athlete in a statement.

The event saw COP$3 billion (approximately USD$683 thousand) invested into the local economy, with over 42 Bogotá businesses directly engaged in providing goods and services for the race.

The organisers also estimated that the Gran Fondo attracted 1,750 visitors, comprising 15.6% of participants. 

They calculated that the economic impact of tourism-related activity for the event was roughly COP$1 billion (approximately USD$227 thousand), with guests spending money on hotels and on goods and services from local businesses. 

In preparation for the event, the Alcaldía also sponsored a large-scale investment programme in the capital’s cycling infrastructure.

From January to November 2024, the city authority renovated roughly 1.5 million square metres of road networks, public spaces and cycling routes. 

The government also recruited 300 police officers to ensure the safety of the race. 

The Alcaldía spun the event as part of Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán’s “Bogotá Camina Segura” (Bogotá Walks Safely) plan.

In a press release, Galán described the race as part of its broader security and development strategy.

“This event not only promotes physical activity, it also bolsters Bogotá as an epicentre for sport and recreation in Colombia,” said Mayor Galán.

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Gymnast Ángel Barajas made history on July 27 as the first Colombian to qualify for the final of artistic gymnastics at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Barajas stood out for his performance on the horizontal bar.

The athlete is from Norte de Santander, a department in the north east of Colombia, which shares a border with Venezuela. Seventeen-year-old Barajas has been described by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) as “the most fascinating gymnast that has emerged from any South American country in recent years,” according to the Olympics.com website. 

As the only Colombian athlete competing in men’s artistic gymnastics, Barajas placed sixth in the Parallel Bars discipline with 14,700 points; 6,700 due to difficulty, and 8,000 because of execution.

This was not enough for Barajas to qualify for the finals, but the gymnast shone in the Horizontal Bar discipline, where he placed sixth with 14,466 points; 6,700 due to difficulty, and 7,766 due to execution. His score placed him only 667 points away from first placed Boheng Zhang, representing China

Before qualifying for the Paris Olympic Games, the gymnast came fourth at the Apparatus World Cup 2024 in Doha. At the 2023 Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships in Turkey, Barajas ranked third in Horizontal Bar, second in All-Around, and first in the Floor Exercise and Parallel Bars. 

Ángel Barajas: An Olympian’s Life

Ángel Barajas was born in a low-income neighborhood of Norte de Santander’s capital, Cúcuta. He told El Tiempo that he fell in love with gymnastics at a young age. In fact, his mother told the publication that he liked to copy the jumps he saw on LazyTown, a popular children’s TV show. Among the show’s characters was Sportacus, a hero played by Icelandic gymnast Magnús Scheving, who became Barajas’ main inspiration.

Although his mother took him to the city’s gym, he did not enjoy it at first because he was the only boy to practice the sport. “I didn’t like it because it was only girls who trained, which is why I didn’t come back,” he told El Tiempo. Regardless, he kept practicing at home and eventually, he went back. There, he Jossimar Calvo, a key figure in Colombian gymnastics.

Barajas’ mother, Angélica María Vives, raised the athlete as a single parent. His family’s support helped Barajas continue with his gymnastics training. “I work hard every day because my dream is to buy my own house and help my family, like they have helped me,” he told El Tiempo.

What’s next? 

Beyond his stellar career in sports, Barajas has prioritized his academic success too. In fact, he currently studies virtually at the Bogotá-based Kuepa EduTech institution, which allows him flexibility in his studies while preparing for championships, tournaments, and the Olympics. 

Barajas will be representing his country at the Men’s Horizontal Bar final on August 5 at 6:33 am Colombia time.

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2024 is a super standout sporting summer, with Colombia riding high at the Copa América, Santiago Buitrago cracking the top 10 in the Tour de France and various medal hopes in the Olympics. Add to that the nation’s first ever appearance in the Australian Rules Football Transatlantic Cup this August in Toronto. The games will alternate between Mens’ and Womens’ days for 10 days, starting this Friday 2nd August.

Both men’s and women’s teams will compete. As Australian ambassador to Colombia Anna Chrisp says with warmth at the event to wave the teams off, “we are both sporting nations.” Colombians made a sporting impact in Australia recently with the superpoderosas’ fairytale run Down Under in the Women’s World Cup of fútbol last year.

While fútbol reigns supreme in Colombia, other codes exist in the country – American football and rugby are also thriving. Australian Rules Football might not be the most high-profile sport in the world, but to those in the know, it’s a fast-paced contact sport that deserves more attention.

The growth of Australian Rules Football in Colombia

Using a red oval ball similar to rugby or gridiron, the game uses a massive oval pitch as long as two football pitches. There are rugby style goalposts, with the aim to kick through them, similar to field goals in other codes. Marks are a common feature, where a player gets up to claim a high ball and win possession, often clambering over others to do so.

Half back flank player in Colombia with six or seven years under his belt, Santiago Espinosa, takes time to speak to us. “The principal attraction for me is that I have always loved contact sports,” he says, having done combat sports before.

“It started off as a laugh with mates and beers afterwards, totally normal, but now we’ve started to be more serious,” he says as he explains the growth of the sport in Colombia over the past few years. It is becoming rapidly more professional and shedding a little of its sometimes blokey culture.

It doesn’t get any more serious than representing your country. He grins as he says “Honestly, I’m really excited. I’ve been in the sport for so many years up to now and it’s been great. I’ve always given 100% and I hope I can be a good example representing Colombia for the first time.”

In Colombia, a combination of characteristically dedicated and passionate Aussie immigrants and curious Colombians has led to a thriving local scene. A whopping 54 players are heading out, meaning that both teams are fielding a full bench. With 18 starters per team, it’s an enormous sport.

Coach Tim Smith started as a player three years ago and started coaching the teams six months later. He says of the Colombian organisation, “The growth over the last year or two has been astronomical. We have the Bogotá Bulldogs, the Antioquia Mountain Lions, Tunja as well. In Bogotá we have our own small league with three teams Osos, Condors and Dardos.” He’s affiliated with the latter, and Caimanes will join soon.

While events such as the Los Andes Cup in Santiago have featured a representative team from Bogotá (the Bulldogs) against their counterparts the Saints, that wasn’t a national team as such, featuring Aussies and others. A shame perhaps, as they won three on the spin against the Chilean team. The Transatlantic Cup is a different beast entirely.

Hopes for the Transatlantic Cup in Toronto

The tournament is focused entirely on the international side of the sport – Australia aren’t sending a team and the national teams feature only local-born players. It takes its name from the fact that it features three teams from the Americas and three from Europe.

While Colombia are pooled with their continental cousins Canada and the USA, this means they will play France, the UK and Ireland – three teams they’ve never come close to facing before. Luckily, the team has an impressive card up their sleeve: former leading professional and AFL royalty Josh Kennedy.

Although his father made his name with Hawthorn, Josh only spent a year there before moving to Sydney, becoming synonymous with the Swans who he went on to captain after claiming three Bob Skilton medals as the club’s best player. His connection to Colombia comes through his Medellín-born wife, meaning he’s going to link up as a coach.

Tim is effusive about this: “Josh is coming in with obviously a wealth of experience and it’s so exciting that he’s going to be able to coach the team. But of course, Josh hasn’t had the experience with the players as us. With him at the helm and us supporting it’s going to be more of a team effort rather than one person leading. Josh will be the head coach and myself and Matt Howe from Medellín as the assistant coaches.”

There’s certainly plenty of optimism and confidence. Tim reckons they can have a red hot crack: “I can see us getting a couple of scalps in the tournament. I think the guys have worked super hard. Going into the tournament we’ve had a year or two of experience, the others have 15-20 years.” 

He relishes a perceived underdog status, acknowledging that “no one’s expecting much from us but I think we can surprise people.” Their best chance is probably against the French, with Ireland the top ranked team outside the antipodes and Great Britain strong too.

Meanwhile, forward Yeimi Bohorquez says of the women’s team: “We have big expectations, like now we have the opportunity to represent Colombia in Canada, to meet players from other countries. We’re playing to win, we want to show off everything we’ve learnt and give a good account of ourselves, our culture and Colombia.”

A local twist

While the game is obviously foreign in origin, the teams have their own take on the game. Aussie players take to the ground as a point of last resort, but Colombian players are much more willing to kick the ball from the ground. Tim says that they initially tried to coach that out, but are now accepting it as a different style, as it can be effective. 

The guernseys, too, are different, with flashy designs representing the teams’ nickname of Jaguares. Far from traditional kits, this fusion allows AFL Colombia to genuinely represent the country. This is not simply an implanted sport but a local variation of an established sport, with both sides open to learning from each other.

Yeimi pays tribute to the coaching: “Like many people, when I arrived I didn’t know much about the sport, but when I got to know everyone I learnt a lot, not just on the field but as a group. Before anything else, what I love is the way that we’ve been taught about the sport. We’re not a team; we’re a family learning everything together. We’re completely united.”

What makes this even more surprising is that for many years Aussie Rules wasn’t even so much Australian, but Victorian. Expansion used to be thought of in terms of Perth, Darwin or Sydney. That the sport is now flourishing as far away as Colombia is testament to the work put in by the local community.

The teams train together and the coaches are responsible for both the male and female players. There’s a real sense of camaraderie between them all and they assure me it’s the same with the players from other regions. Yeimi says, “We’re all very competitive and open to learning and trying new things.”

Tim explains that this can get a bit heated, though not to the level of, say, State of Origin. “It’s the first time that Bogotá and Medellín have played together in the same team. When we have our representative games, sometimes things can be a little bit fiery, a little bit of a scuff up here and there. But as soon as the game stops, everyone’s back to being best friends.”

How to get involved or watch the Transatlantic Cup

In terms of the Transatlantic Cup, you can tune in here to watch via a livestream here. If you’re looking to play, get in touch with AFL Colombia via their Instagram. They’ll tell you where your nearest club and training is and set everything up.

Tim makes it clear that everyone’s welcome; “We are very excited to receive not just Colombians but people from all over the world. If you want to make the national team, you have to be really in shape. If you just want to have a kick and have a game on a Saturday it’s open for everybody.”

The last word should go to Yeimi, who only started playing five months ago, yet is completely hooked and an enthusiastic ambassador for the sport. “My invitation to people who are interested is: try it! If you don’t try, you’ll never know.”

AFL Colombia can be reached at @AFLColombia on Instagram and there are four training sessions a week, including Saturdays at the Country Club

The Transatlantic Cup can be found on this link. All times given here in Colombian Standard Time.

The women play France (Aug 2nd, 1pm); Great Britain (Aug 4th, 9am), Ireland (Aug 6th, 11am)
The men play Ireland (Aug 3rd, 8.30am); France (Aug 5th, 1pm); Great Britain (Aug 7th, 1pm)

The play off dates are Aug 8th (women) and 9th (men) with the finals on the 10th and 11th.

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In the morning, the riders will depart Sopó on a gruelling trek to the city, taking in 138.7km through Cundinamarcan hills and arriving around 1-1.30pm in the heart of the capital. With three categorised climbs along the way there will be plenty of action for mountain points and a breakaway is likely to succeed.

If you want to check out the action, recommended places to watch would be anywhere along the Séptima as they come into the city, especially the Parque Nacional or Museo Nacional area. The first riders will likely arrive somewhere around 1pm, depending on average speed throughout the race.

If you’re in the countryside, it’s well worth getting to the roadside along the La Calera-Bogotá or Sopó-La Calera route, especially by the peaks at Los Patios and Arepas. From Bogotá, the roads will shut early, so bear that in mind if you’re thinking about leaving the city.

A lot of top Europe-based pros eschew Colombia for cash-grabs in states such as Qatar for the initial races in the cycling calendar, which is a shame. There’s unlikely to ever be the same support for the sport there, whereas Colombia has one of the world’s most passionate and knowledgeable cycling fanbases.

That’s started to change in recent years. Colombia Oro y Paz got things rolling and now the Tour Colombia 2:1 now attracts top international teams such as Movistar, Astana, and EF Education and famous riders such as Ecuadorian pair Richard Carapaz and Jonathan Caicedo or Manxman Mark Cavendish. 

There’s also a plethora of local stars, with Egan Bernal the standout. On Friday, Colombia’s first ever Tour de France champion faced the very same stretch of road where he had a horrific crash in 2021. It was an emotional stage in his hometown of Zipaquirá. Elsewhere are the evergreen Rigo Urán, smiley Esteban Chavés, and sprinter Fernando Gaviría. 

The race so far has been interesting. The grand depart from Paipa started a trip through prime cycling country in Boyacá and onto Cundinamarca, dancing around the edges of Bogotá. Every year the race chooses a different part of the country to focus on. With so many mountains, they’re spoilt for choice, so this is the first time in Bogotá since the successful 2020 edition.

Saturday’s stage saw Carapaz (EF Education) storm to victory atop the Alto de Vino to the northwest of Bogotá while local lad Rodrigo Contreras (Nu Colombia) hung on for grim death to make sure the race lead stayed in Cundinamarqués hands. Barring any unforeseen trouble, Contreras will finish tomorrow as champion.

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Football that you play with your feet and a ball reigns supreme in Colombia, but there’s also plenty of support for the types of football that you play with your hands and an egg. We’ve covered Aussie Rules football and Rugby Union before, but with the Superb Owl between Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers coming up on Sunday, it’s time to look at America’s favourite sport in Colombia’s capital.

The Superbowl in Bogotá will be shown at pretty much any bar with a TV not showing fútbol, although you may have to ask the staff to put it on. Particularly reliable spots for those wanting a whooping North American audience include the Meeting House on Séptima, Los Irish in the T, Usaquén and Candelaria and BBCs in, well, anywhere in the city. Watching is easy, but playing is certainly possible, with a wealth of clubs throughout la nevera.

The full game with pads and helmets is an expensive sport, requiring a lot of kit and dedicated spaces, which creates a strong barrier to entry. On top of that, it’s a high-impact and potentially dangerous game, with lawsuits around head injuries and concussion starting to gain traction Stateside. To deal with these issues, there’s a lighter version of the game known as Flag Football, which is thriving in Colombia.

American Football in Bogotá

Flag football is five-a-side, with players frequently playing on both sides of the ball. Instead of full tackles and blocks, players have ribbons attached to them – if an opponent pulls it off, that stops the play. In the Parque Simón Bolívar, we caught up with local Flag Football team Bulldogs DC for a training session and spoke to team leader Javier Zuleta. 

He’s been with them for three years, having previously played full tackle football for another 12 years. Javier is a coach with the national tackle team and both a player (center) and coach with Bulldogs DC. He says that Flag is easier to get into: “You don’t have to buy the helmet or the shoulderpads, just the flags and maybe a pair of cleats, but you can play with soccer boots.”

It’s also much less dangerous, as Javier explains: “The idea of flag is that you can have contact but not impact, especially no forceful impact. For example, if you’re trying to catch the ball, there will be some contact, but it’s not allowed by the rules to hit anyone.” But of course, that doesn’t mean it’s easy, as it makes clear: “You have to be in top shape because flag is fast. You need to be agile and quick.”

They’re open to anyone turning up. Javier says “Our ages range from 16 and 17 year olds to people in their late thirties. I’m the oldest I think, at 38, but I feel like an 18 year old!” He’s certainly in tip top shape and able to play anywhere: “The offence has to be very flexible in this sport, everyone has to do everything. It’s not common to run, you just pass, pass, pass.”

Opportunities for all

Neither is gender a barrier, with a few women joining the practice. Some play for other teams and just practise with the team as Javier says “Bulldogs doesn’t have a female team [yet], but we have open doors. If women want to come down and practise with us, they’re welcome. That’s the advantage of flag. There are also some teams that are co-ed.”

There are plenty of clubs around: “Making a quick count, around eight or ten that are all male, maybe five or six all-female. In the surrounding area, around 15 all-male teams.” I ask if there are many Americans playing, “No, not so much,” says Javier, “Actually, we do have a lot of Mexicans or people who have lived in Mexico because they know the sport.”

If you’re interested in throwing the pigskin about, he recommends looking for a local team: “People can find our team on Instagram, on Facebook as well, but my advice as a player is that I don’t care if you live in the north or south, whatever, just turn up to any team close to you.” He’s certainly not partisan, pointing to a nearby outfit: “Pumas train at the PRD and are one of the few teams that has peewee football, U8, U17 and both male and female adult teams. That’s all for flag and they also have the tackle [full game] team.”

There aren’t many tackle teams in Bogotá, says Javier: “The strongest team right now is Pumas, who have been around for 15 years. There’s also Carneros, who joined forces with Spartans recently. There are a few smaller teams, but they don’t compete as they don’t have enough people. They train maybe once a week and have to double up [playing both sides of ball].”

While Flag Football is largely about speed and agility, the full game requires very different body shapes, especially on the scrimmage lines. Javier acknowledges the problem, noting that “For the tackle teams, that’s the difficult part – recruiting linemen. We need not only big people, but they have to be athletic and tall as well and prepare properly.”

The local government helps too: “Last year we had a lot of support from IDRD who assigned a lot of free parks for us. They organise tournaments and lend us spaces. It’s a lot of help, not just for the teams but for the whole community. People see us training who have never heard of the sport and they say, ‘Hey, this is new, what is this?’ That curiosity keeps them coming to us and it helps a lot.”

A nationwide game

It’s not just Bogotá that loves gridiron, says Javier: “Medellín is actually very strong right now with a football culture. We have a couple of teams in Cali, four or five in Boyacá. There used to be a couple in Barranquilla, not any more. A couple of teams are being born in Pasto, Manizales has one, there’s a tackle team in Yopal.”

There are limited options to play, of course, with so few teams. “We should play more often,” confesses Javier. “However we have the national tournament every year organised by FECOFA [Federación Colombiana de Fútbol Americano]. From this year it will be in April to avoid conflicts with the scheduling of the tackle tournament and there are players who play in both.”

The tackle tournament runs in the second semester of the year, roughly in line with the kick off of the NFL season. Javier makes it clear that, “The flag tournaments, especially the national flag tournament, have a lot more teams. Because it’s nationwide, we can have maybe 20-22 teams, but tackle tournaments have maybe five or six in the whole country.” The country’s size makes it difficult to organise, so there has to be some creativity.

As Javier explains, “We started a system called válida – kind of a meeting which we rotate between cities. For example, the first date is in Bogotá. Every single team in the country comes here. We play four or six games in a single weekend, and we try to make it a long [festivo] weekend. Then a month later, everyone goes to Medellín and plays there. Last year the third day was in Cali, two years ago in Zipaquirá.”

The international game

As a coach for the national men’s tackle team, Javier’s had success: “December last year we had the SudAmericano tournament in Brasilia, but that’s kind of a stretch honestly, there were only three teams. We defeated Chile and lost to Brazil, who are a powerhouse. In 2022, the national female flag team also went to a SudAmericano, playing Argentina, Chile and Brazil and they came in second. Brazil won that one too.”

There is no national men’s flag team yet, but plans are in motion to have one by year end. “Right now,” says Javier, “we also have a project called Team Bogotá, male and female teams. We are aiming to be a part of an international tournament in Spain at the end of November. We have already selected the 15 active players and we are training hard.” 

Other games take place on a more ad hoc basis, Javier tells me: “We have a flag team here, Condors, who are very strong, they’re going to play Panamá 3rd-4th March, that’s an international contest.” With the interview winding up, I ask who Javier tips for the national champs. “I’m gonna say my team, Bulldogs,” he replies with confidence. “We were national champions in 2022. The reigning champions are a team from Medellín called Volts. We have to take the title back.”

And for the big game on Sunday? “I’m hoping San Francisco, but it’s very hard to bet against Mahomes. I can’t like the Chiefs as I’m a Broncos fan. I started watching when they won back-to-back Super Bowls with Elway.” As nominally a Kansas City fan (from the nineties), this is the first time in our chat that I can’t agree with Javier. Let’s see who comes out on top!

Bulldogs DC practise most Saturdays from 12md-2pm behind the Plazoleta de Bolívar in the Parque Simón Bolívar. Pumas practise nearby at the PRD further up on Carrera 60 if you’re interested in the full game. Get in touch via instagram to get involved. The Superbowl will be widely screened in Bogotá, Sunday 11th February at 6.30pm Colombian time.

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It was the efforts of the many that made the difference in this tour

Paul Reid, Colombia cricket captain

Colombia finished on the podium for the first time in the history of the event behind eventual champions Argentina and runners-up Uruguay.

“Notwithstanding some exceptional performances by the few, it was the efforts of the many that made the difference in this tour,” said Colombia captain Paul Reid.

“We were united — all 16 squad members played in big matches on rotation and all made significant contributions and it seemed like whoever I threw the ball to bowl or asked to pad up and bat was able to find a special performance for the team.”

Colombians show grit to get out of group

Colombia 145-6 (Parks 77) beat Panama 137-3 by eight runs

Full scorecard

A new structure for this year’s championships saw a split group stage replace the round-robin format used in previous years, with Colombia drawn in Group B with Uruguay, Brazil and ICC affiliate members Panama. Tournament hosts Argentina, alongside Chile and Mexico, were in Group A.

Seeking to improve on their seventh place finish last year in Rio de Janeiro, Colombia began their campaign in the afternoon of Wednesday 18 October at St. George’s College, Quilmes, by choosing to bat against Panama after winning the toss.

Playing on the artificial pitch number 2, it was a fourth wicket stand of 74 by middle order maestros Parks and Barnes that helped Colombia reach a score of 145-6 off their 20 overs, with top scorer Parks making a fluid 77 off 53 balls including four sixes.

Panama — taking part in their first South American Championships since 2000 — never took the initiative and were chasing the game throughout their innings. 

While Panamanian wickets were hard to come by, some tight bowling from Parks, captain Paul Reid and most notably Philip Konceky (0-14 off his four overs) left Panama needing 15 off the final over.

Captain Reid threw the ball to vice captain ‘Impuestos’ Dian Perera to close out, going for just six runs to hand Colombia a notable victory by eight runs against tricky ICC opposition and get their tournament off to the best possible start.

—

Uruguay 135-4 (Parks 2-15) beat Colombia 132-6 (Barnes 44) by six wickets

Full scorecard

The second day of the tournament saw the two winners in Group B from the previous day face each other following Uruguay’s eye-catching win against Brazil.

Losing the toss and being asked to bat first, openers Perera (16) and Salim Patel Gúzman (18) navigated the opening bowling salvo well before two wickets fell in the fifth over to put a check on momentum.

Wicketkeeper Barnes top scored for Colombia with 44, while some loose Uruguayan bowling including 15 wides helped bulk up the total and leave a decent target to defend of 135-4.

Missed chances in the field, however, meant Uruguay’s opening partnership reached 96 before being broken as many thick edges and half chances weren’t capitalised on by the team in yellow.

“God must be Uruguayan” quipped one exasperated Colombian team member; no other batters reached double figures for Uruguay, but the foundation set early on saw them eventually reach the target with 13 balls to spare as they took a commanding lead in the group.

—

Colombia 140-7 (Parks 57) beat Brazil 139-4 by three wickets

Full scorecard

With the two teams both tied on one win and one loss behind undefeated Uruguay, the game on Friday 20 October became a de facto quarter final as Colombia sought to overcome Brazil.

The Brazilian team had been thrown into disarray before a ball had even been bowled in the tournament after one of their key openers was struck on the head during net practice, necessitating a change in their batting order. Perhaps sensing weakness, captain Paul Reid won the toss and elected to send his opponents in to bat first. 

While they did not lose wickets and all their batters contributed, an exceptional performance in the field from Colombia — including a run out from Reid and a superb stumping from wicketkeeper Ollie Barnes — meant Brazil ended on 139-4.

A wicket maiden in the first over for Brazil was quickly negated by a fantastic second wicket partnership of 92 between Anshul Sehrawat (42 off 32) and Laurel Parks, who anchored the Colombian innings once again with a wonderful 57 off 47 balls.

Needing 18 off the final four overs and cruising towards their target of 140, the unfortunate departure of Parks sparked a mini collapse, with Colombia slipping from 123-4 to 126-7 with just 11 balls of the innings remaining.

The final over and the epitome of ‘squeaky bum time’. With 10 runs still needed, it was left to Haran Manimaran and 14-year-old Jean Paul Wood to deliver.

Facing Brazil’s opening bowlers with a tight fielding set up, a combination of rapid running, ice cool temperament and sensible shots ratcheted up the pressure for both sides.

Needing two off two, the winning run eventually came from a late-called no ball for a high full toss, leading to widespread confusion, then realisation, then pandemonium.

By the barest of margins it was agony for Brazil and ecstasy for Colombia, who edged it at the death to make it through to Saturday morning’s semi-final stage against tournament hosts and Group A winners Argentina.

Semifinal heartache for Colombia, but a chance to make history

Argentina 154-4 (Parks 2-23) beat Colombia 113-9 (Sehrawat 36) by 41 runs

Full scorecard

Saturday at St. George’s College was finals day and a packed schedule saw the semi-final between Colombia and Argentina begin at 9am on pitch 1 — Colombia’s first of the tournament on a grass wicket.

After asking Argentina to bat first, a great catch in the deep for John Paul Wood off Parks’ bowling had one of the Argentine openers depart for a silver duck.

Despite a strong powerplay, some economical bowling from Colombia — including captain Paul Reid’s three overs going for just 11 runs — had Argentina reach the halfway mark of the innings at 62-1.

However, the second wicket eluded Colombia and a 109 partnership had Argentina looking at an imposing total. Just as it was looking to get away from them, three quick wickets fell in nine balls to wrestle momentum back Colombia’s way.

One final slog from Argentina had them snatch 27 off the final two overs, ending on 154-4 and handing Colombia the challenge of knocking off their biggest target of the tournament to reach the final.

A tactical tweak to the batting order meant Colombia started their innings planning to leave their big hitting batters to later in the innings to target Argentina’s change bowlers.

However, rapid opening bowling and good field placement had Colombia struggle to keep up the scoring rate early on, and by the time the first wicket fell at the start of the seventh over they had just 24 runs on the board.

The big middle order hitters came and went for Colombia, with regular wickets falling as they valiantly tried to get on top of the required run rate. 

While newly-promoted opener Anshul Sehrawat made an elegant 36 off 26 before being run out after nudging the ball to cover, by the end of the innings Colombia had fallen short by the matter of 41 runs against a highly organised Argentina side, with only Sehrawat, Parks and Reid making double figures.

With Argentina heading to the final as they sought to make it a hat trick of titles at the Championships, Colombia dropped into the 3rd place playoff match, knowing that a win there would still provide the nation with their best ever showing in any international level cricket competition to date.

Colombia show composure to clinch historic consolation

Colombia 177-5 (Parks 80, Barnes 64) beat Mexico 170-6 (Perera 2-26) by seven runs

Full scorecard

Colombia found themselves playing definitely-not-South-American Mexico in their final match of the tournament, who had been humiliated in their semi-final against Uruguay by being skittled for just 67 runs in a five wicket loss.

Batting first in the 3rd/4th playoff in the afternoon of Saturday 22 October, Colombia found themselves in trouble at 10 for 3 before a robust fourth wicket partnership of 112 from Oliver Barnes (64 off 44) and Parks (80 from 45) helped them reach 177-5.

This was Parks and Barnes’ fourth partnership of the tournament, collectively combining for 237 when together at the crease and evidently saving their best effort for last.

Furthermore with his 80 — his third half century of the tournament — Parks firmly cemented himself as the tournament’s top run scorer with 255 runs across the five matches. This was more than 100 ahead of second place, which fortunately for Colombia was batting partner Barnes (147 runs).

In response Mexico stayed ahead of the required run rate until the 17th over of their innings, with each of the top six contributing handily. However, while Colombia’s scoring rate had grown as their innings progressed — including taking 52 runs off the final four overs — Mexico’s then stagnated.

Needing to defend 16 off the final over, some tight bowling from Parks at the death as well as a run-out restricted Mexico to 170-6, seven short of the target and handing victory to a rapturous Colombia in what was the highest scoring match of the entire tournament.

This result capped a remarkable performance from a team that were definite underdogs on paper in nearly all their matches, playing in a tournament where half the teams were official ICC affiliate members and with much more robust domestic cricketing infrastructure.

In the end it was Argentina who defended their title against Uruguay in the final with a 34 run victory and seal their record-extending 12th trophy.

And it was Laurel Parks (who else?) who was awarded the Most Valuable Player award for his outstanding contributions with bat and ball across all matches.

“We could have won the whole thing and only commiserate ourselves with an all-time best placing of third,” said captain Paul Reid following the match.

“Beware the competition,” he warned, “next year Colombia comes to finish the job!”

Get involved with cricket in Colombia

Colombia cricket is seeking to build on the success of the 2023 South American Championship and is always looking for new players to get involved in growing the sport throughout the country.

All levels are welcome.

To get involved, follow @cricketcolombia on Instagram and drop a DM to find out more about what is coming up.

FINAL STANDINGS

1. Argentina
2. Uruguay
3. Colombia
4. Mexico
5. Brazil
6. Peru
7. Panama
8. Chile

COLOMBIA SQUAD

Paul Reid (c); Dian Perera (vc); Oliver Barnes; Thomas Donegan; Salim Guzman; Philip Konecny; Haran Manimaran; Laurel Parks; Christopher Price; Kartik Radhakrishnan; Satnam Sandhu; Anshul Sehrawat; Srinivasan Seshadri; Pravin Shamdasani; Niroshan Sirisena; Jean Paul Wood.

Top Run Scorers (COL)

Laurel Parks – 255 (Ave. 85; SR 144.9; HS 80; 3 x 50)

Oliver Barnes – 147 (Ave. 36.75; SR 117.6; HS 64; 1 x 50)

N.B. Parks and Barnes were the top two highest run scorers in the whole tournament.

Top Wicket Takers (COL)

Laurel Parks – 6 wickets (Ave. 22; Economy 6.60)

Dian Perera – 3 wickets (Ave. 43.67; Economy 7.28)

Tournament MVP – Laurel Parks

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Then, in the high altitude of Quito on Tuesday evening, Colombia were unlucky to see two goals ruled out by VAR and a penalty missed by Luis Díaz as the match ended in a 0-0 stalemate.

James shines against Uruguay as Colombia rue missed chances

Colombia started off slowly against Uruguay, with coach Néstor Lorenzo choosing an experienced starting XI (five years older on average than the opposition) to deal with a mini injury crisis in the squad.

Taking time to find their rhythm, it wasn’t until the 35th minute that Los Cafeteros managed a shot on target. Santiago Arias’ cross from the right came through to James Rodríguez, who controlled with his right then quickly rifled a shot with his left into the bottom right corner to give Colombia the lead. ¡Golazo!

But Colombia’s lead lasted until just a few seconds into the second half, with Mathías Oliver’s equalising header from very close range to the bottom right corner following a corner.

They were back ahead shortly after, however, in controversial fashion. Luis Díaz’ ball recovery and subsequent pass out to the right flank found Rafael Santos Borré, whose cross appeared to strike the arm of James before deflecting through for Mateus Uribe to finish.

The Colombian TV commentators called it “debatable”, but replays showed that they were fortunate to not have the goal chalked off by VAR.

With their tails up, Colombia played fluidly to create three good chances in quick succession, but none came to fruition thanks to the post, the crossbar, and Lucho Díaz missing what for him should have been a simple chance.

Though a bit late, Lorenzo rang the changes, trying to push on to take the game away from Uruguay with the introduction of West Yorkshire legend Luis Sinisterra and Jorge Carrascal late on.

However, the game was to turn again following a second yellow card to goalkeeper Camilo Vargas. Having picked one up in the ninth minute for inexplicably chasing down Núñez well outside his area, Vargas’ second came after a collision with Maximiliano Araújo in the area.

Handed his marching orders by the referee after a VAR check for offside from the attacker, substitute goalkeeper Álvaro Montero — making his competitive international debut — was unable to stop Núñez converting for 2-2.

Colombia created many more chances in this game than their previous two qualifiers; however, a lack of cohesion in defence saw them regularly beaten over the top and questions still remain in this area of the pitch. Santiago Arias, though, had a fantastic game at right back.

A good result and positives to be taken, but the manner of the late Uruguay equaliser put this match in classic ‘draw that felt like a loss’ territory. Memories of the dire 2022 qualifiers resurfaced with a lack of killer instinct failing to put matches to bed.

Díaz denied by penalty save

It was a similar story a few days later in Quito. While it was a marked improvement from the 6-1 mauling Colombia suffered on their last visit to Ecuador’s capital, missed chances meant Colombia once again were left with just one point for their efforts.

Just like the previous Thursday in Baranquilla, Colombia were hanging on in the first part of the game as Ecuador struck both the crossbar and post from long range attempts at Álvaro Montero’s goal.

Colombia countered well, though, and on 35 minutes a deft through ball by James Rodríguez to Luis Díaz, who finished with a smooth chip over keeper Moisés Ramírez. The lead lasted less than a second, however, with the linesman immediately raising his flag for offside as Lucho set off on his run a fraction of a second too soon.

Absolutely sublime skill from Díaz in the second half saw him skin three players on the touchline, leaving them with twisted blood as he waltzed through pressure to deliver a perfect ball into the box for Jhon Arias, who drew a foul.

Surprisingly it was Lucho himself that then took the penalty instead of either James Rodríguez or Rafael Santos Borré. 

Díaz has, of course, recently returned from a long-term injury and has not shown much of the electric play for the country that has seen him earmarked as the next talismanic leader of La Selección.

If this was a decision made by the team to try to instil confidence in a struggling team-mate, it did not work. Díaz’ attempt was poor and easily saved by Ramírez. It was his second penalty at professional level and his second miss.

Less than two minutes later, Colombia once again thought they had the lead through centre-back Carlos Cuesta, who fired home following a corner to spark a rapturous celebration among his teammates.

VAR intervened, however, and after a three-minute delay the referee was called over to the pitchside monitor before annulling the goal as Rafael Santos Borré was adjudged to have been impeding the goalkeeper from an offside position. 

One final eye-catching attempt from James in the 93rd minute came, but no fairytale ending. It finished 0-0 — Colombia’s third draw in a row. 

Undefeated, but unlucky or underperforming?

Colombian fans are probably unsure whether to be happy or not. Yes, they are now 12 games undefeated under manager Néstor Lorenzo, but two points from these two games is, upon reflection, a slightly disappointing return. Lorenzo himself said in a post-match press conference in Quito that it felt like four points lost.

While fortunate to not see the second goal against Uruguay chalked off by VAR, there were plenty of claritas to consolidate their lead that weren’t taken, making the eventual equaliser feel almost inevitable as time ticked on.

In Quito, for a team starting with second-choice centre-backs, a third-choice goalkeeper and a fifth-choice right back it was a good clean sheet to keep, though this was aided by a terrible performance by Ecuador’s Enner Valencia.

But the decision to hand a critical penalty kick to a low on confidence Luis Díaz while other, better penalty takers watched on was a bit of a head-scratcher. 

The future of the Colombia team likely lies with Díaz. He played very well in parts; however, over these two games he could very well be held accountable for not winning either of them. 

The return of Empatelombia

The main lesson learned from the failure to qualify for the Qatar 2022 was that it is very difficult to draw your way to a World Cup spot. The expanded 48-team tournament for 2026 has seen an increase from 4.5 to 6.5 qualification slots for South America, which brings more opportunity for success and for wholesale embarrassment if qualification is not achieved. 

Colombia would do well to turn some draws into victories to demonstrate their status as the fourth highest ranked team on the continent and 17th in the world. The key difference from last time is that at least chances are being created so progress is visible. It might be time to call up the likes of Cucho Hernández, currently doing well at Columbus Crew. 

As it stands, a return of six points from four games sees Colombia fifth in the table, just one point off second spot and comfortably inside the qualification spots. Only Colombia and runaway leaders Argentina remain undefeated.The cafeteros’ next match takes place in Baranquilla on 16 November at home to third-placed Brazil, who will be seeking to bounce back after a 2-0 loss away to Uruguay. A trip to Paraguay then follows on 21 November.

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