Colombia‘s World Cup Qualification Masked by Tactical Concerns, Says Analyst Carlos Antonio Vélez
BARRANQUILLA, Colombia - Despite securing qualification for teh 2026 World cup with a resounding 6-3 victory over Venezuela – fueled by a four-goal performance from Luis Javier Suárez – concerns are mounting over the Colombian national team’s tactical preparedness for facing elite competition. Renowned journalist Carlos Antonio Vélez delivered a scathing assessment following the match, questioning whether the scoreline accurately reflects the team’s current capabilities.
Speaking on Planet Football, Vélez acknowledged the positive result but highlighted significant defensive vulnerabilities. ”if I speak of the wonderful result, if I talk about the game, we begin to complicate: Mier made goals, defensively we were a disaster. Then what we did was take advantage of the Venezuelans’ mental state,” he stated.
Vélez detailed how Colombia capitalized on a lapse in focus from Venezuela after learning of Bolivia’s goal. ”The game was for them, and when they go to the dressing room, they are told that Bolivia is winning.They leave, they don’t manage, they risk it and in five minutes, Luis [Suárez] scores the third goal; from there, they collapsed.”
The analyst warned that the impressive scoreline could be “very misleading,” emphasizing the numerous flaws still present within the squad. “Can you imagine those mistakes we made before a team like Spain?” he questioned, suggesting a significant gap in quality.
Vélez stressed the importance of merit-based selection, stating, “The great message, and hopefully the coach understands, is that there is paradise with opportunities. They gave Luis and he scored four. There can be no written positions for anyone. The one who is well has to play.”
While Colombia completed a perfect six-point sweep in the final qualifying matches, Vélez’s critique underscores the need for significant tactical improvements under coach Nestor Lorenzo if the team hopes to make a significant impact at the 2026 World Cup.
