Colombia

The development of football in Colombia has long been the subject of scholarly debate. Most historians agree that the Caribbean Region served as the primary point of entry for the sport, which is widely believed to have been introduced around 1900 by English railway engineers employed by The Colombia Railways Company.

The Colombian Football Federation was founded in 1924 under the name Liga de Fútbol and became affiliated with FIFA and CONMEBOL in 1936. Colombia played its first international match on 17 February 1926 against Costa Rica at the Estadio Moderno Julio Torres in Barranquilla, winning 4–1 with a side competing under the name Selección Atlántico. In 1937, Colombia formed a national team to compete in the Juegos del IV Centenario de Cali, contesting four international matches at the newly inaugurated Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero against Mexico, Argentina, Ecuador, and Cuba. Despite being affiliated with FIFA, Colombia withdrew from the 1938 FIFA World Cup in France, instead participating in the 1938 Central American and Caribbean Games. During this period, the national team was composed predominantly of players from Club Juventud Bogotana (now Millonarios), reflecting the club’s central role in the early development of the national side.

Colombia did not make its debut in the South American Championship until the 1945 edition, where the team finished fifth. The squad was drawn largely from Junior de Barranquilla, with Roberto Meléndez serving as player-manager throughout the tournament.

Though Colombia withdrew from the 1946 South American Championship, the team achieved its first significant international success later that year by winning the 1946 Central American and Caribbean Games in Barranquilla, defeating all six opponents and claiming the gold medal under Peruvian manager José Arana Cruz.

Following their debut at the 1945 South American Championship, Colombia’s presence on the international stage became sporadic in the immediate post-war period. Although the national federation gained affiliation with FIFA in 1936, the team withdrew from several editions of the Copa América between 1947 and 1957, reflecting ongoing administrative instability and the broader social and economic challenges affecting the country during the mid-20th century.

Colombia returned to the continental competition at the 1957 South American Championship in Peru, marking their re-entry into South American football after more than a decade of absence. While results remained modest, the tournament signalled renewed institutional commitment to international participation and laid the groundwork for future competitive development.

This gradual reintegration culminated in Colombia’s qualification for the 1962 FIFA World Cup in Chile, their first appearance at the finals since their international debut. Coached by Efraín Sánchez, who also served as team captain, Colombia competed in Group 1 alongside Uruguay, the Soviet Union, and Yugoslavia. Despite finishing bottom of the group, Colombia produced one of the most iconic moments in their football history in their match against the Soviet Union. Trailing 4–1, midfielder Marcos Coll scored directly from a corner kick in what remains the only "gol olímpico" (goal scored directly from a corner) in FIFA World Cup history, beating legendary goalkeeper Lev Yashin in the process. The tournament represented a symbolic turning point, reaffirming Colombia’s place within global football and setting the stage for more consistent international engagement in the decades that followed.

Following their debut at the 1962 FIFA World Cup, Colombia endured a prolonged period of limited success in international competition. After withdrawing from both editions of the 1959 South American Championship held in Argentina and Ecuador, the team returned to continental competition at the 1963 South American Championship in Bolivia, where they finished last with one draw and five defeats.

In qualification for the 1966 FIFA World Cup, Colombia was grouped with Ecuador and Chile, but finished bottom of the section with two points, recording a solitary 2–0 home victory over Chile. The following year, Colombia again faced Chile in qualification for the 1967 South American Championship, but were eliminated after a 5–2 defeat in Santiago and a scoreless draw in Bogotá.

Colombia next entered qualification for the 1970 FIFA World Cup, drawn into Group 2 alongside Brazil, Paraguay, and Venezuela. Despite competitive performances, the team finished third with one win, one draw, and four losses, missing out on qualification. In preparation for the campaign, Colombia hosted the England national team in a pre-World Cup friendly that ended in a 4–0 defeat. The match was overshadowed by the widely publicized Bogotá Bracelet incident involving England captain Bobby Moore, which generated significant international attention.

Colombia achieved its most significant international result of the era at the 1975 Copa América. Drawn into Group C with Paraguay and Ecuador, the team won all four matches to advance to the semifinals against Uruguay. A 3–0 home victory and a 1–0 away defeat were sufficient to secure progression on aggregate, sending Colombia to the Copa América final for the first time in its history. In the final, Colombia faced Peru in a three-match series. After each team won its home fixture, the championship was decided by a playoff match held at a neutral venue in Caracas. Peru prevailed 1–0, with Hugo Sotil scoring the decisive goal in the 25th minute, denying Colombia its first continental title.

Prior to the 1980s, the Colombia national team was widely regarded as a struggling side, constrained by limited investment from the Colombian Football Federation, inconsistent international participation, and the broader social and political instability affecting the country. Periods of national crisis, including La Violencia and the rise of organized crime, hindered the development of football infrastructure and delayed the emergence of a sustained footballing culture. Although Colombia had qualified for the 1962 FIFA World Cup, the national team largely failed to build on that achievement, earning a reputation as perennial underachievers in international competition.

In the early 1980s, Colombia sought to re-establish itself competitively under Argentine manager Carlos Bilardo. The team entered the 1982 World Cup qualifiers with renewed ambition but failed to secure qualification for the finals, and subsequently exited in the first round of the 1983 Copa América, underscoring the persistent gap between promise and results.

Colombia showed tangible progress during qualification for the 1986 FIFA World Cup. Drawn into Group 1 alongside Argentina, Peru, and Venezuela, the campaign began with a notable 1–0 victory over Peru, courtesy of Miguel Prince. Despite suffering defeats to Argentina both at home and away, Colombia recovered with draws and victories against Venezuela to secure a place in the intercontinental play-offs against Paraguay. A 3–0 defeat in Asunción proved decisive, and although Colombia won the return leg 2–1, they were eliminated 4–2 on aggregate, narrowly missing qualification.

At the 1987 Copa América, Colombia were drawn into Group C with Bolivia and Paraguay. The team advanced to the semi-finals, where they faced Chile. Colombia briefly took the lead in extra time through a 103rd-minute penalty by Bernardo Redín, but Chile responded with two late goals to eliminate Colombia in dramatic fashion. Colombia would go on to win the third-place match against Argentina.

South American qualification for the 1990 FIFA World Cup saw the confederation allocated three-and-a-half places. With Argentina qualifying automatically as reigning champions, the remaining teams were divided into three groups. Colombia emerged as one of the group winners but were required to contest the CONMEBOL–OFC play-off against Oceania representatives Israel, who had finished ahead of Australia and New Zealand. Colombia prevailed 1–0 on aggregate over two legs, securing qualification for their first FIFA World Cup since 1962 and marking the definitive emergence of a new generation on the international stage.

At the 1990 World Cup, Colombia was drawn with Yugoslavia, alongside United Arab Emirates and powerhouse West Germany. Colombia faced the United Arab Emirates at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara in Bologna, winning 2–0 with goals from Bernardo Redín and Carlos Valderrama to achieve Colombia's first-ever World Cup finals win. Despite losing the second game against Yugoslavia 1–0, Colombia advanced to the round of 16 after a historic 1–1 draw with eventual champions West Germany, where Freddy Rincón equalized in the 93rd minute after West Germany's initial goal five minutes earlier.

Colombia finished the group stage in third place, advancing as the second-best third-placed team. They were eliminated in the round of 16 by Cameroon with a 2–1 defeat in extra time, after a mistake from Colombian goalkeeper René Higuita.

Shortly after the tournament, Francisco Maturana left his post as manager. He was replaced by Luis Augusto García, who led the team in the 1991 Copa América and interim matches. Maturana returned in 1993 to guide Colombia through the successful 1994 World Cup qualifying campaign.

With Valderrama as captain, Colombia reached the semifinals of the 1993 Copa América, losing to Argentina on penalties and finishing third after a 2–1 victory over Ecuador.

Colombia finished first in their 1994 World Cup qualifying group, remaining unbeaten, which included a historic 5–0 victory in Buenos Aires.

Before the 1994 World Cup, expectations were high. Colombia was drawn in Group A with hosts United States, Romania, and Switzerland. They earned one win over Switzerland, but losses to Romania (3–1) and the United States (2–1, with an own goal by Andrés Escobar) led to elimination in the group stage.

Hernán Darío Gómez (El Bolillo) replaced Maturana in 1995. Under his management, Colombia finished third at the 1995 Copa América after defeating the United States 4–1. Two years later, at the 1997 Copa América, they were eliminated in the quarterfinals by hosts Bolivia.

Colombia qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup by finishing third in the qualifiers with 28 points. They were drawn in Group G with Tunisia, England, and Romania. After a 1–0 defeat to Romania and a 1–0 win over Tunisia, Colombia were eliminated by England (2–0), with goals from Darren Anderton and a young David Beckham scoring his first international goal via a free kick.

In the 1999 Copa América, Colombia won all their group-stage matches but were eliminated in the quarter-finals after a 3–2 loss to Chile.

In 2000, Colombia participated in their first CONCACAF Gold Cup, defeating Jamaica 1–0, losing 2–0 to Honduras, and eliminating hosts United States 2–1 on penalties. They beat Peru 2–1 in the semi-finals and lost 2–0 to Canada in the final.

Colombia hosted the 2001 tournament, which faced last-minute cancellations and withdrawals due to security concerns. They opened with wins over Venezuela (2–0), Ecuador (1–0), and Chile (2–0). Colombia then eliminated Peru and Honduras in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, respectively, and defeated Mexico 1–0 in the final with a goal from captain Iván Córdoba. The team did not concede a single goal and earned the fair play award; goalkeeper Óscar Córdoba was named best goalkeeper.

Colombia failed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup, finishing sixth in the CONMEBOL qualifiers.

At the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup, Colombia lost 1–0 to hosts France, then beat New Zealand and Japan to reach the semi-finals, losing 1–0 to Cameroon and finishing fourth against Turkey.

In the 2004 tournament, Colombia lost to Argentina in the semi-finals, finishing fourth. At the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup, they beat Mexico in the quarter-finals but lost to Panama in the semi-finals.

Colombia narrowly missed the 2006 World Cup by one point. At the 2007 tournament, they finished third in their group with one win, including a 5–0 loss to Paraguay.

The decade ended with a poor 2010 qualifying campaign, as constant formation changes and managerial instability, including the replacement of Pinto by Eduardo Lara after a 4–0 loss to Chile in September 2008, contributed to Colombia failing to qualify.

In the 2011 Copa América, Colombia topped their group but were eliminated 2–0 by Peru in the quarter-finals. The team ended the year ranked 36th in FIFA, up from 54th earlier in the year.

After hiring José Pékerman in January 2012, Colombia achieved a second-place finish in the FIFA World Cup qualification CONMEBOL stage with 30 points, qualifying for the 2014 World Cup for the first time since 1998. The team conceded only 12 goals, the second-best defensive record behind Argentina.

Without injured Radamel Falcao, Colombia opened the 2014 World Cup with a 3–0 win over Greece, followed by a 2–1 victory over Ivory Coast to top Group C. They defeated Uruguay 2–0 in the round of 16, reaching the quarter-finals for the first time, before losing 2–1 to hosts Brazil. James Rodríguez won the Golden Boot and later the Puskás Award for his goal against Uruguay.

At the 2015 Copa América, Colombia won only against Brazil in the group stage and were eliminated by Argentina on penalties. In the 2016 Copa América Centenario, they beat United States 2–0 and Paraguay 2–1 to reach the quarter-finals, lost to Costa Rica, then advanced to the semi-finals after defeating Peru on penalties. They finished third by beating hosts United States.

Colombia finished fourth in CONMEBOL to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. They lost 2–1 to Japan, then beat Poland 3–0 and Senegal 1–0 to top Group H. In the round of 16, Colombia drew 1–1 with England and were eliminated 4–3 on penalties.

Following the federation's choice to not renew Pekerman's contract, former Iran manager Carlos Queiroz was hired to coach the national team.

Starting off their 2019 Copa América campaign, Colombia defeated Argentina 2–0, marking their first victory over the La Albiceleste since 2007. Days later, they faced Qatar and won 1–0 to advance to the next round. They finished the group stage with a 1–0 victory over Paraguay, ending with nine points, four goals scored, and none conceded. Colombia also became the only team since the 2001 edition to advance out of the group stage with a 100% record. Despite this, Colombia were eliminated by Chile in a penalty shootout in the quarter-finals.

Colombia opened the 2022 World Cup qualifiers with victories over Venezuela and Chile. However, following the resumption of matches after the COVID-19 pandemic, the team’s form deteriorated, culminating in their heaviest home defeat in 82 years against Uruguay and a 6–1 loss to Ecuador. The downturn brought an end to Carlos Queiroz’s tenure in December 2020. On 14 January 2021, the Colombian Football Federation announced the return of Reinaldo Rueda as head coach.

In the 2021 Copa América, Colombia won their opening match against Ecuador, then drew 0–0 with Venezuela. They lost 2–1 to Peru in their third match. Next, Colombia lost to Brazil but progressed to the quarter-finals and then to the semi-finals after defeating Uruguay on penalties following a 0–0 draw. In the semi-finals, Colombia drew 1–1 with Argentina before losing on penalties. Colombia defeated Peru 3–2 in the third-place match, with Luis Díaz scoring twice, making him the top scorer alongside Lionel Messi.

After the Copa América, Colombia resumed World Cup qualification. The team went seven matches without scoring, but defeated Venezuela 1–0 in their final match. Results elsewhere left Colombia in sixth place, missing out on the World Cup. Rueda left shortly after.

On 2 June 2022, the Colombian Football Federation appointed Néstor Lorenzo as head coach for a four-year term.

On 28 February 2023, the federation launched "Futbol con Futuro" (Football with a Future), a project supported by FIFA covering 2022–2025, aiming to reinforce all national teams’ structures and achieve success on the pitch.

Under Lorenzo, Colombia compiled a 28-match unbeaten run leading up to the 2024 Copa América final, which they lost to Argentina in extra time on 14 July 2024. This run included victories over Germany, Brazil, and Spain.

In September 2025, Colombia qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, their seventh World Cup appearance, after finishing third in CONMEBOL qualifying.