Colombia national football team

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Colombia women's national football team.

Colombia
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)Los Cafeteros (The Coffee Growers)
La Tricolor (The Tricolour)
La Sele (The Sele)
AssociationFederación Colombiana de Fútbol (FCF)
ConfederationCONMEBOL (South America)
Head coachNéstor Lorenzo
CaptainJames Rodríguez
Most capsDavid Ospina (128)
Top scorerRadamel Falcao (36)
Home stadiumEstadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez[1]
FIFA codeCOL
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 10 Decrease 1 (24 October 2024)[2]
Highest3 (July–August 2013, September 2014 – March 2015, June–August 2016)
Lowest54 (June 2011)
First international
 Colombia 4–1 Costa Rica 
(Barranquilla, Colombia; 17 February 1926)[3]
Biggest win
 Bahrain 0–6 Colombia 
(Riffa, Bahrain; 26 March 2015)[4]
Biggest defeat
 Brazil 9–0 Colombia 
(Lima, Peru; 24 March 1957)[5]
World Cup
Appearances6 (first in 1962)
Best resultQuarter-finals (2014)
Copa América
Appearances24 (first in 1945)
Best resultChampions (2001)
CONCACAF Gold Cup
Appearances3 (first in 2000)
Best resultRunners-up (2000)
Central American and Caribbean Games
Appearances2 (first in 1938)
Best resultChampions (1946)
Bolivarian Games
Appearances9 (first in 1938)
Best resultChampions (1951)
Confederations Cup
Appearances1 (first in 2003)
Best resultFourth place (2003)
Medal record
Copa América
Gold medal – first place 2001 Colombia Team
Silver medal – second place 1975 South America Team
Silver medal – second place 2024 United States Team
Bronze medal – third place 1987 Argentina Team
Bronze medal – third place 1993 Ecuador Team
Bronze medal – third place 1995 Uruguay Team
Bronze medal – third place 2016 United States Team
Bronze medal – third place 2021 Brazil Team
Gold Cup
Silver medal – second place 2000 United States Team
Central American and Caribbean Games
Gold medal – first place 1946 Barranquilla Team
Bronze medal – third place 1938 Panama City Team
Bolivarian Games
Gold medal – first place 1951 Caracas Team
Silver medal – second place 1961 Barranquilla Team
Silver medal – second place 1973 Panama City Team
Silver medal – second place 1981 Barquisimeto Team

The Colombia national football team (Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Colombia), nicknamed Los Cafeteros, represents Colombia in men's international football and is managed by the Colombian Football Federation, the governing body for football in Colombia. They are a member of CONMEBOL and are currently ranked 10th in the FIFA World Rankings.[7] The team are nicknamed Los Cafeteros due to the coffee production in their country. The national team has been a symbol of nationalism, pride and passion for many Colombians worldwide. Colombia is known for having a passionate fan base, and the team's dances during goal celebrations have been symbolic.[8][9]

The Colombian team has participated in six World Cups: 1962, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2014 and 2018. In the 2014 edition held in Brazil, the team achieved its best World Cup performance, reaching the quarter-finals and coming fifth in the final standings.[10]

Its greatest international achievement is winning the Copa América in 2001 as hosts, during which the team set a record by winning every match without conceding a single goal. Colombia also finished runner-up in 1975 and 2024 and finished third five times: in 1987, 1993, 1995, 2016, and 2021.

Furthermore, the team managed to make outstanding appearances at the continental level, obtaining from the Central American and Caribbean Games the gold and bronze medals in 1946 and 1938 respectively,[11] and in the Bolivarian Games the team obtained the gold medal in 1951 and the silver medal in 1961, 1973 and 1981.[12]

  1. ^ "Barranquilla será la sede de los dos primeros partidos de las eliminatorias, Deportes". Semana.com. 22 August 2011. Archived from the original on 7 January 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  2. ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Men's World Ranking". FIFA. 24 October 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference InternationalDebut was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "International friendlies: Bahrain 0–6 Colombia". bbc.com. BBC. 26 March 2015. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  5. ^ "Brasil 9–0 Colombia :: Copa América 1957 :: Ficha del Partido". ceroacero.es (in Spanish). Ceroacero. 24 March 1957. Archived from the original on 7 January 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  6. ^ Elo rankings change compared to one year ago. "World Football Elo Ratings". eloratings.net. 16 October 2024. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  7. ^ "Fifa/Coca Cola World Ranking". FIFA.com. 27 May 2021. Archived from the original on 15 July 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  8. ^ Gutierrez, Teofilo (15 July 2015). "Gutierrez: Colombia are one big family". FIFA. Archived from the original on 28 March 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  9. ^ "World Cup Team Profile: COLOMBIA". 4 June 2014. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2014 – via YouTube.
  10. ^ "Colombia closes its best participation in the World Championships". Sietedias.co (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
  11. ^ "Barranquilla: the memory of the V Central American and Caribbean Games, in 1946" (in Spanish). Colombian Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 25 January 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  12. ^ "Bolivarian Games Caracas 1951". Vinotinto.com (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 28 July 2020. Retrieved 12 July 2018.