Forward Rafael Santos Borré, from Eintracht Frankfurt, and winger Luis Sinisterra, from Feyenoord, lead Colombia’s squad for the friendly against Saudi Arabia, which will be played in the Spanish city of Murcia on June 5 and will serve the Asians as preparation for the World Cup in Qatar.
The forwards are the most recognizable faces on the list of 20 players, among whom figures such as Luis Díaz, Juan Guillermo Cuadrado, David Ospina, James Rodríguez or Radamel Falcao García do not appear.
However, other experienced players were called up, such as central defender Davinson Sánchez, from Tottenham Hotspur; midfielder Yairo Moreno, from Pachuca; or striker Juan Camilo Hernández, from Watford.
Also on the list are goalkeeper José Luis Chunga, from Alianza Petrolera, and midfielder Kevin Velasco, from Deportivo Cali, the only two players in the Colombian league who were called up because their teams are not playing the semi-final home runs of the Apertura Tournament.
The South American team will be led in this match by Héctor Cárdenas, U20 coach and who will provisionally replace Reinaldo Rueda, who left office last month after failing to qualify for Qatar 2022.
Cárdenas will also be in charge of the Colombian team while the FCF appoints Rueda’s successor for the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, a decision that the Federation is taking very calmly, as the president of that organization, Ramón, has revealed. Jesurun.
Meanwhile, this will be the first match with which Saudi Arabia will prepare for the World Cup in Qatar, in which it is part of Group C along with Argentina, Mexico and Poland.
CALLED
Goalkeepers: José Luis Chunga (Alianza Petrolera) and Iván Arboleda (Newell’s Old Boys-ARG).
Defenders: Dávinson Sánchez (Tottenham Hotspur-GBR), Jhon Lucumí (Genk-BEL), Daniel Muñoz (Genk-BEL), Helibelton Palacios (Elche-ESP) and Carlos Cuesta (Genk-BEL).
Midfielders: Yairo Moreno (Pachuca-MEX), Éder Álvarez Balanta (Brujas-BEL), Kevin Agudelo (Spezia-ITA), Eduard Atuesta (Palmeiras-BRA), Kevin Velasco (Deportivo Cali), Steven Alzate (Brighton & Hove Albion- GBR) and Jaminton Campaz (Gremio-BRA).
Forwards: Luis Suárez (Granada CF-ESP), Rafael Santos Borré (Eintracht Frankfurt-GER), Juan Camilo Hernández (Watford FC-GBR), Jhon Arias (Fluminense-BRA), Luis Sinisterra (Feyenoord-NED) and Óscar Estupiñán ( Vitória-BY).
