Profile
The moment Radamel Falcao suffered that dreaded cruciate knee ligament injury, Colombian football's panic button could well have been pressed.
And although the prolific Monaco striker has failed to make a miraculous recovery to feature this summer, there is more to this Colombia side than El Tigre as Tim Vickery told Off The Ball back in January.
This is a hungry side returning to the World Cup for the first time since 1998, armed with star names like Monaco playmaker James Rodriguez, Porto striker Jackson Martinez and exciting Fiorentina winger Juan Cuadrado who has starred in Serie A this season.
They may be in a tricky group involving Ivory Coast, Japan and Greece but they are the side with the most intimate knowledge of playing in South America.
Ed Maylon of The Mirror also analysed Colombia and how they will cope with the loss of Falcao on Episode 6 of Team 33:
Latest news and features
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'The Two Escobars' director on Colombian football's journey
Can Colombia go even further and also move on from the legacy of 1994?
Stars Have To Perform As Brazil-Colombia Looks Too Tight To Call
Tim Vickery's Super South America Saturday Preview
Is it stick or twist for Jose Pekerman’s striking options?
James Rodriguez is now Colombia's main man
Can Colombia go further than their South American rivals?
Vickery on why Colombia's defence is a bigger problem than a Falcao-free forward line
Falcao's injury is "not a total disaster" for Colombia
GIF: Falcao knee injury sparks fear over his World Cup hopes
Carlos Valderrama's hair is conspicuous by its absence ©INPHO/Allsport
World Cup Record
Appearances: 5
Best Result: Second Round (1990)
Squad
Goalkeepers: David Ospina (Nice), Faryd Mondragon (Deportivo Cali), Camilo Vargas (Santa Fe)
Defenders: Camilo Zuniga (Napoli), Pablo Armero (Napoli), Cristian Zapata (AC Milan), Mario Yepes (Atalanta), Carlos Valdes (Philadelphia Union), Santiago Arias (PSV Eindhoven), Eder Alvarez-Balanta (River Plate)
Midfielders: Abel Aguilar (Toulouse), Carlos Sanchez (Elche), Fredy Guarin (Inter Milan), Juan Fernando Quintero (Porto), Aldo Ramirez (Morelia), Alexander Mejia (Atletico Nacional), Victor Ibarbo (Cagliari), Juan Guillermo Cuadrado (Fiorentina), James Rodriguez (Monaco)
Strikers: , Teofilo Gutierrez (River Plate), Carlos Bacca (Sevilla), Adrian Ramos (Borussia Dortmund), Jackson Martinez (Porto)
Manager: Jose Pekerman
Fixtures and Results
Group C
June 14 vs Greece (Belo Horizonte) 3 - 0 (W)
June 19 vs Ivory Coast (Brasilia) 2 - 1 (W)
June 24 vs Japan (Ciuaba) 4 - 1 (W)
