I would also like to discuss Colombia today. They actually beat the US 5-1 in Landover (Washington) last weekend. The margin of the win was surprising, but three goals came very late, when the US were gambling and, I would argue that the result says more about Colombia, at least we can hope so! Los Cafeteros are in a rich vein of form, they have beaten Brazil, Paraguay, Venezuela, Mexico, Spain, Romania and the US in their last seven starts, a sequence which includes two top 8 and four top 14 FIFA ranked teams, including two they face in the group stage of the Copa. They are also unbeaten in seven games against the Samba Boys played outside Brazil, a run stretching back 20 years. Colombia are actually on a 22 match unbeaten run, keeping 13 clean sheets. They have scored 12 in their last four starts and those goals have come from, rather amazingly, 11 different scorers , so a multiple and increasing goal threat and from all over the pitch.

 

Columbia's Copa record is good with a win and four semi final appearances in the last seven, including a third place when the tournament was last held in the US (2016) and not much went right for them in a semi final loss to Chile that year, conceding twice very early, then facing an almost three hour delay due to storms and a red card! Colombia have actually never tasted defeat under head coach Nestor Lorenzo who played in the 1990 World Cup final for Argentina and also in England for Swindon Town of all teams! He spent 7 years as assistant coach under Jose Pekerman with Colombia in the 2010's, reaching the last 8 of the World Cup and had clearly impressed the FA and now, we can all see why. He and his nation have gone under the radar, but are running into top form and seem certain to go well and they are my #1 selection.

 

Their sum is definitely greater than their parts, but 10 of the squad play in the Big 5 European leagues, five in the EPL and star names are Luis Diaz and James Rodriguez. The latter was a superstar back in 2014 when Colombia made that run to the last 8 at the WC, he scored the goal of the tournament, won the Golden Boot and was signed by Real Madrid for what was then the 4th highest transfer fee in history. He had 13 goals and 13 assists in his first season and was named best midfielder in La Liga and would have made most World XI's at that time, but that was basically it at the Bernabeu. It is hard to know what happened but he went to Bayern on loan, then Everton, Al-Rayyan and Olympiakos, before signing for Sao Paulo last summer. At 32 yo (he will turn 33 two days before the final) , this will probably be his final major tournament in a career full of "what might/should have beens", one last chance and it would make a terrific story and there is almost always one of a similar ilk within every tournament winning team.

 

 

Argentina are Copa and World Cup holders and have been in 5 of the last 7 finals of this tournament. They are on the easiest side of the draw , are the class act and really only have Mexico standing between them and making it 6 in 8 finals.