In this FIFA Women’s World Cup, the Colombia team will attempt to use a tiki-taka approach. In the Copa América, which was played at home last year, Colombia won five straight games. This run included a semifinal triumph against Argentina, to advance to the final in Bucaramanga and secure a spot in the World Cup. Colombia then gave Brazil their first real test of the tournament in front of a sold-out crowd, with millions more watching at home, before losing late in the match. The one-goal loss against a team that has long dominated the continent was considered a significant development for Colombia. This was their eighth South American championship out of the nine contests since 1991.
The coach hasn’t yet been able to fix a basic problem that may hinder them from progressing, despite the fact that they have garnered the attention of the country and are playing some dazzling buildup football with short passes and rapid moves. While Colombia frequently has attractive visuals, they are wasteful in front of goal and frequently make dubious decisions in critical situations. This fear in the latter third might be their downfall.
The Manager
Nelson Abadia, 67, has played football for more than 40 years. He has developed a solid reputation as a talent-developing coach. He then coached a number of second-division teams. After serving for a brief while as the women’s national team’s assistant manager, he was named manager of the fledgling América de Cali women’s club in 2016. He has, however, been under fire for allegedly blacklisting a number of prominent athletes. Many of whom continue to compete in the highest leagues in the globe. Due to their courageous actions in coming out about women’s football abuses in 2019 and the federation’s longstanding unwillingness to confront these problems.
Star player
Catalina Usme, the team captain and a role model for others, just scored her 50th goal for Colombia, solidifying her position as the nation’s all-time leading scorer. Usme, a star of the Colombian league and the league’s top scorer, has won two championships with América de Cali. Last year, she scored her 30th goal in the Women’s Copa Libertadores to take the lead in goals scored in South America’s premier club competition.
Rising star
Over the past year, Linda Caicedo’s climb has been exponential. The athlete, who was born in Colombia, placed second in both the Copa América and the Under-17 FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2022. He also signed a big-money deal with Real Madrid when he turned 18 in February. The adolescent has already won two Colombian league championships. Her goals and ball-handling skills have made her one of the most exciting young players in women’s football.
Fun Fact
Caicedo made her debut in 2018 at the age of 14. A year later, she joined América de Cali, where she won her maiden league championship. She shared league scoring supremacy that same season at the age of 15. She played for Colombia at the Under-17 and Under-20 World Cups in 2022. Ceicedo also helped the adults qualify for this event.
State of Football
The women’s league was founded in 2017. It has been beset with issues and controversies. Mostly, as a result of the male-dominated football organizations in the nation’s lack of support. Despite claims from the league president that this year’s league would run a full year, this has led to haphazard tournaments that are sometimes thrown together at the last minute and played out over irregular durations ranging from 45 days (2021) to the present five-month structure. The majority of league games are televised. More than 30,000 spectators filled El Campin in Bogotá for this year’s championship match between Santa Fe and América de Cali. Despite the lack of enthusiasm from the game’s elite hindering advancement.
Our Prediction
The players think this is their chance to change history. Colombian women’s football is expanding, and this team is talented and features several significant players. Although a lot will depend on Caicedo, the team’s record-breaking ambition is to advance at least one step farther than its last-16 result at the Canada 2015 World Cup. Colombia has already had significant success at the young level. The under-17s made the FIFA Women’s World Cup final last year. The under-20s making the last eight in Costa Rica in 2022. Transferring such advancement to football’s largest stage is the current objective.
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