[South American Regional Qualifiers]
16 Matches 8 Wins 4 Ties 4 Losses (28 Points)
| 4/24/96 | Vs. Paraguay | Win | 1-0 |
| 6/2/96 | Vs. Peru | Draw | 1-1 |
| 7/7/96 | Vs. Uruguay | Win | 3-1 |
| 9/1/96 | Vs. Chile | Win | 4-1 |
| 10/9/96 | Vs. Ecuador | Win | 1-0 |
| 11/10/96 | Vs. Bolivia | Draw | 2-2 |
| 12/15/96 | Vs. Venezuela | Win | 2-0 |
| 2/12/97 | Vs. Argentina | Lose | 0-1 |
| 4/2/97 | Vs. Paraguay | Lose | 1-2 |
| 4/30/97 | Vs. Peru | Lose | 0-1 |
| 6/8/97 | Vs. Paraguay | Draw | 1-1 |
| 7/5/97 | Vs. Chile | Lose | 1-4 |
| 7/20/97 | Vs. Ecuador | Win | 1-0 |
| 8/20/97 | Vs. Bolivia | Win | 3-0 |
| 9/10/97 | Vs. Venezuela | Win | 1-0 |
| 11/16/97 | Vs. Argentina | Draw | 1-11 |
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Experience |
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Although Colombia passed through the South American qualifiers in third place and earned its third consecutive trip to the World Cup starting with the World Cup in Italy in 1990, even now with only two months until the opening of the tournament, it still has a major problem in that the outline of the team is still not clear. The basic formation is a 4-2-2-2, but at this time only five regulars have been decided: Bermudes on defense, Valderrama, Rincon, and Serna in midfield, and Asprilla on offense. However, now there has been an accident to worry Coach Gomez. Aspricia, who is being counted on as the ace striker, suffered an injury that will take 40 days to heal in the recent match against Paraguay and he may not be able to appear.
No one knows who will run onto the pitch for Colombia when the curtain rises, but for this tournament too, Valderrama is recognized as the team leader. Therefore, the same as the last World Cup and the one before that, Colombia's soccer will be slow soccer with finely linked short passes. The one point worth watching will be how well this type of soccer can compete against contemporary soccer and its high pace of development.
At the World Cup in the United States, Colombia was mentioned as a candidate for the championship, but they lost out in the group league and betrayed the expectations of the Colombian people. The Colombian team wants to wipe away the dishonor from the last World Cup, but how well the team can be pulled together with only a short period for preparation depends entirely on the skill of Coach Gomez.
*FEDERACION
COLOMBIANA DE FUTBOL
[Address]
- Calle 7a Oeste N 6-08
- Piso 4to. BOGOTA
[Established] 1924
*4th World Cup
(1962, 1990, 1994, 1998) |
Carlos VALDERRAMA
* Midfielder
His deadly through passes are still lethal.
Valderrama is well known for his distinctive looks and deadly through passes. Colombia is depending on him again in this World Cup.
Having already experienced two World Cups, Valderrama is already 36. This World Cup seems certain to be his last. However, his play has not deteriorated even a bit. In fact, his best weapon, his inside passes, have become even more polished than ever. He has an image for "not moving much", but he swept that away completely in the South American qualifiers. So much so that just when the other team thought they had gotten out of a pinch in front of their goal, Valderrama would rush in and knock the ball home. It is as if he is wiping away the mistakes of the previous World Cup in the United States.
Hernan Dario GOMEZ
In part because he had coached as the right-hand man for previous coach Matsurana, when Gomez first took the helm, he was well received as the elder brother of the athletes, but as he gradually came to know the severity of winning games and the weight of being coach, he became the locomotive of the team as a dictatorial presence who fully expresses his individuality. Some of the players who reacted against this leadership left the team, but now the team has been purified, Gomezism has permeated the athletes, and the team has come together into one tight-knit unit.
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