Colombia national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Colombia

Nickname(s)	Los Cafeteros (The Coffee Growers) La Tricolor (The Tricolour) La Sele (The Sele)
Association	Federación Colombiana de Fútbol (FCF)
Confederation	CONMEBOL (South America)
Head coach	Néstor Lorenzo
Captain	James Rodríguez
Most caps	David Ospina (128)
Top scorer	Radamel Falcao (36)
Home stadium	Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez
FIFA code	COL
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	12 (7 February 2019)
Highest	3 (July–August 2013, September 2014 – March 2015, June–August 2016)
Lowest	54 (June 2011)
Elo ranking
Current	6 3 (3 March 2019)
Highest	3 (June 2016)
Lowest	99 (March 1957)
First international
Colombia 4–1 Costa Rica  (Barranquilla, Colombia; 17 February 1926)
Biggest win
Bahrain 0–6 Colombia  (Riffa, Bahrain; 26 March 2015)
Biggest defeat
Brazil 9–0 Colombia  (Lima, Peru; 24 March 1957)
World Cup
Appearances	6 (first in 1962)
Best result	Quarter-finals (2014)
Copa América
Appearances	24 (first in 1945)
Best result	Champions (2001)
CONCACAF Gold Cup
Appearances	3 (first in 2000)
Best result	Runners-up (2000)
Confederations Cup
Appearances	1 (first in 2003)
Best result	Fourth place (2003)
Medal record Copa América Gold 2001 Colombia Team Silver 1975 South America Team Silver 2024 United States Team Bronze 1987 Argentina Team Bronze 1993 Ecuador Team Bronze 1995 Uruguay Team Bronze 2016 United States Team Bronze 2021 Brazil Team CONCACAF Gold Cup Silver 2000 United States Team Central American and Caribbean Games Gold 1946 Barranquilla Team Bronze 1938 Panama City Team Bolivarian Games Gold 1951 Caracas Team Silver 1961 Barranquilla Team Silver 1973 Panama City Team Silver 1981 Barquisimeto Team

The Colombia national football team (also known as Selección de fútbol de Colombia) represents Colombia in men's international football. The team is managed by the Federación Colombiana de Fútbol (FCF), which is the main group for football in Colombia. They are part of CONMEBOL, the South American football group.

The team is often called Los Cafeteros, which means "The Coffee Growers." This nickname comes from Colombia's famous coffee production. The national team is a big symbol of pride and passion for many Colombians around the world. Fans are known for being very enthusiastic, and the team's goal celebrations often include fun dances.

Colombia has played in six FIFA World Cups: 1962, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2014, and 2018. Their best World Cup performance was in 2014 in Brazil, where they reached the quarter-finals and finished fifth overall.

Their biggest international win was the Copa América in 2001, when they hosted the tournament. They won every match without letting in a single goal, which was a record! Colombia also finished second in the Copa América in 1975 and 2024. They have also finished third five times: in 1987, 1993, 1995, 2016, and 2021.

The team has also done well in other regional games. They won a gold medal at the Central American and Caribbean Games in 1946 and a bronze in 1938. At the Bolivarian Games, they won gold in 1951 and silver in 1961, 1973, and 1981.

History of Colombian Football

Early Days and First World Cup

Football in Colombia likely started around 1900, brought by English railway engineers. The Colombian Football Federation was created in 1924. It joined FIFA and CONMEBOL in 1936. Colombia played its first international match on February 17, 1926, beating Costa Rica 4–1 in Barranquilla.

In 1937, Colombia put together a national team for the "Games of the IV Centenary of Cali." They played four matches, including against Mexico and Argentina. Colombia did not play in the 1938 FIFA World Cup in France. Instead, they played in the 1938 Central American and Caribbean Games, winning a bronze medal. Fernando Paternoster from Argentina became Colombia's first foreign coach that year.

Fernando Paternoster of Argentina became Colombia's first non-domestic coach in 1938

Colombia played in the 1945 South American Championship for the first time, finishing fifth. They won a gold medal at the 1946 Central American and Caribbean Games in Barranquilla, winning all six games.

Colombia did not play in the 1950 FIFA World Cup and was banned from the 1954 FIFA World Cup because of a football league issue called "El Dorado." They made their first World Cup qualifying attempt for the 1958 FIFA World Cup but did not make it.

Rodolfo Orlandini, who played for Argentina in the first World Cup, coached Colombia during their first World Cup qualification campaign for Sweden 1958.

Under Argentine coach Adolfo Pedernera, Colombia qualified for their first-ever World Cup in 1962. They beat Peru to get there.

At the 1962 World Cup, Colombia was in a group with Uruguay, the Soviet Union, and Yugoslavia. They lost their first game to Uruguay. In their second match, they had an exciting 4–4 draw with the USSR. In this game, Marcos Coll scored a special goal directly from a corner kick, which is very rare in World Cup history. Colombia's 1962 journey ended with a 5–0 loss to Yugoslavia.

Argentine Adolfo Pedernera helped Colombia qualify for and coached them at their first World Cup in 1962.

First Copa América Final and Challenges (1963–1979)

After 1962, Colombia faced challenges in qualifying for major tournaments. They finished last in the 1963 South American Championship. They also did not qualify for the 1966 FIFA World Cup or the 1967 South American Championship.

Colombia tried to qualify for the 1970 FIFA World Cup but failed. However, they made history at the 1975 Copa America. They reached the final for the first time, beating Uruguay in the semi-finals. In the final, they played Peru. Colombia won one game and lost another, leading to a deciding match in Caracas, where Peru won.

Efraín Sánchez, who captained Colombia at the 1962 World Cup, later coached his country to its first major final at the 1975 Copa América.

The 1980s: A New Beginning

Before the 1980s, Colombia's national team was not very strong. There wasn't much support for the team due to various problems in the country. Even though they played in the 1962 World Cup, they often struggled.

Colombia did not qualify for the 1982 FIFA World Cup. They also had a tough time in the 1983 Copa América. For the 1986 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, they were in a group with Argentina, Peru, and Venezuela. They started well with a win against Peru but then lost to Argentina. They did not qualify after losing to Paraguay in the play-offs.

Before winning the World Cup with Argentina in 1986, coach Carlos Bilardo was in charge of Colombia's 1982 World Cup qualifying campaign.

In the 1987 Copa América, Colombia reached the semi-finals but lost to Chile. For the 1990 FIFA World Cup, Colombia qualified for the first time since 1962! They won a play-off against Israel to secure their spot.

Colombia and Argentina captains Carlos Valderrama and Diego Maradona shaking hands before the third-place match at the 1987 Copa América.

The 1990s: The First Golden Era

Francisco Maturana is Colombia's most famous coach. He led Colombia to two World Cups in 1990 and 1994, and helped them win their first Copa América title in 2001.

At the 1990 FIFA World Cup, Colombia was in a group with Yugoslavia, United Arab Emirates, and West Germany. They won their first World Cup match ever, beating the United Arab Emirates 2–0. They lost to Yugoslavia but then had a famous 1–1 draw with West Germany, with Freddy Rincón scoring a late goal. This draw helped Colombia reach the Round of 16.

Colombia line-up against West Germany at the San Siro in Milan, Italy, for the third group-stage fixture of the 1990 World Cup

In the Round of 16, Colombia lost 2–1 to Cameroon in extra time after a mistake by goalkeeper René Higuita. Even though they were eliminated, this World Cup showed the rise of Colombia's "first golden generation" of players.

Carlos Valderrama (pictured in 2016) was the team's captain in the 1990s. He played in five Copa América tournaments and three World Cups.

In the 1993 Copa América, with Carlos Valderrama as captain, Colombia reached the semi-finals and finished third.

Colombia had an amazing qualifying campaign for the 1994 FIFA World Cup. They didn't lose a single match, including a historic 5–0 win against Argentina in Buenos Aires. Many people thought Colombia could even win the World Cup because they were playing so well.

At the 1994 FIFA World Cup, Colombia was in a group with the United States, Romania, and Switzerland. They only won one game against Switzerland and lost two, which meant they were out in the group stage. In the match against the United States, Andrés Escobar accidentally scored an own goal. Sadly, Escobar was later murdered in Colombia, which was a very tragic event and marked the end of Colombia's first golden generation.

Hernán Darío Gómez (also known as El Bolillo) coached Colombia from 1995 to 1998 and led them to the 1998 World Cup.

Colombia finished third in the 1995 Copa América. Two years later, they lost in the quarter-finals of the 1997 Copa América.

Colombia qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France. They were in a group with Tunisia, England, and Romania. They won against Tunisia but lost to Romania and England, which meant they didn't move past the group stage.

Freddy Rincón was a key player in Colombia's first Golden Generation, playing in all three FIFA World Cups in the 1990s.

In the 1999 Copa América, Colombia won all their group matches but then lost to Chile in the quarter-finals.

The 2000s: Copa América Title and Later Struggles

In 2000, Colombia played in their first CONCACAF Gold Cup in the United States. They reached the final but lost to Canada 2–0.

Iván Córdoba was the captain when Colombia won the 2001 Copa América. He scored the only goal in the final against Mexico.

Colombia hosted their first Copa América in 2001. There were some concerns about safety before the tournament, but it went ahead. Colombia started strong, winning their first game against Venezuela. They continued to win all their group matches. They then beat Peru in the quarter-finals and Honduras in the semi-finals. Colombia won their first Copa América title by beating Mexico 1–0 in the final, with captain Iván Córdoba scoring the winning goal. They made history by not letting in any goals throughout the entire tournament!

Goalkeeper Óscar Córdoba was named best goalkeeper at the 2001 Copa América because he didn't let in any goals.

For the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Colombia did not qualify, missing out by a small margin. This was the first time they hadn't qualified for a World Cup since 1986. However, because they won the 2001 Copa América, Colombia played in the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup. They reached the semi-finals but lost to Cameroon and then to Turkey, finishing fourth.

In the 2004 Copa América, Colombia lost in the semi-finals and finished fourth. They also played in the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup, reaching the semi-finals again.

Colombia did not qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup or the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The team struggled with scoring goals and changing coaches often during this period.

The Pékerman Era: A New Golden Generation (2011–2018)

In the 2011 Copa América, Colombia won their group but were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Peru. By the end of 2011, Colombia's FIFA ranking improved a lot.

Colombia line-up against Uruguay at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo on September 10, 2013

In October 2012, Colombia returned to the top 10 of the FIFA Rankings for the first time in many years. This was after good wins against Mexico, Chile, and Uruguay.

When José Pékerman became coach in January 2012, the team started to shine. They had a great qualifying campaign for the World Cup, finishing second and making it to the tournament for the first time since 1998. Many people thought Colombia could be a surprise team at the World Cup.

Colombia against Brazil at the 2014 World Cup

Even though their top scorer Radamel Falcao was injured, Colombia had a fantastic 2014 FIFA World Cup. They won their first game against Greece 3–0. They then beat Ivory Coast 2–1 to secure the top spot in their group. They finished the group stage by beating Japan 4–1, winning all three games. Colombia then defeated Uruguay 2–0 in the Round of 16, reaching the quarter-finals for the first time ever! Their amazing run ended with a 2–1 loss to the host nation, Brazil.

At Brazil 2014, James Rodríguez became the first Colombian player to win the Golden Boot award at a FIFA World Cup tournament with six goals.

Colombia had a tough 2015 Copa América, winning only one game. They were eliminated by Argentina in a penalty shootout. The next year, in the Copa América Centenario (a special edition of the Copa América), Colombia started well, beating the hosts United States. They reached the semi-finals but lost to Chile. They then won the third-place match against the United States, achieving their best result since winning in 2001.

Yerry Mina scoring Colombia's equalizing goal against England at the 2018 World Cup

Colombia qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup by finishing fourth in South America. They lost their first game to Japan but then had a big 3–0 win over Poland. They beat Senegal 1–0 to win their group and move to the Round of 16. In a close match, Colombia was knocked out by England after losing 4–3 in a penalty shootout.

Before leaving after Russia 2018, Argentine coach José Pékerman led Colombia in both the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups. He guided them to their best performance in 2014 and helped them qualify for the World Cup after 16 years.

Recent Years (2019–Present)

After José Pékerman left, Carlos Queiroz became the new coach in 2019.

In 2019, Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz became Colombia's first European coach since Blagoje Vidinić from Yugoslavia.

In the 2019 Copa América, Colombia had a great group stage, winning all their matches without letting in any goals. They were the only team since 2001 to do this. However, they were eliminated by Chile in a penalty shootout in the quarter-finals.

Colombia started the 2022 World Cup qualifiers well. But after the COVID-19 pandemic, their performance dropped. They had a big loss to Uruguay at home and a 6–1 defeat against Ecuador. This led to Carlos Queiroz leaving as coach in December 2020. Reinaldo Rueda then returned as coach.

Goalkeeper David Ospina became Colombia's most-capped player during Colombia's quarter-final victory against Uruguay at the 2021 Copa América, reaching 112 appearances.

In the 2021 Copa América, Colombia won their first game and then had a draw and two losses. They still qualified for the quarter-finals and beat Uruguay in a penalty shootout. In the semi-finals, they drew with Argentina but lost in a penalty shootout. Colombia then won the third-place match against Peru 3–2, with Luis Díaz scoring two late goals, making him a top scorer of the tournament along with Lionel Messi.

After the Copa América, Colombia continued their 2022 World Cup qualification. They went seven matches without scoring a goal, which hurt their chances. Even though they won their last game against Venezuela, other results meant Colombia finished sixth and did not qualify for the World Cup finals. Rueda then left his coaching role.

The Néstor Lorenzo Era (2022–Present)

On June 2, 2022, the Colombian Football Federation announced that Néstor Lorenzo would be the new coach for the next four years. The federation also started a new project called "Futbol con Futuro" (Football with a Future) to help all national teams succeed.

Under coach Lorenzo, Colombia had an amazing run of 28 games without a loss, which included wins against strong teams like Germany, Brazil, and Spain. This streak ended on July 14, 2024, when they lost to Argentina in extra time in the Copa América final.

Team Rivalries

Colombia vs. Venezuela

Colombia's main football rivalry has always been with Venezuela. For a long time, Colombia usually won easily. However, in recent years, football has become more popular in Venezuela, and the games have become more competitive.

In 2005, Venezuela surprised everyone by beating Colombia 1–0 in Barranquilla during a World Cup qualifier. Former captain Valderrama called it a "classic" and said, "Venezuela tries their best playing against us."

Colombia vs. Argentina

Players from Colombia and Argentina discussing a play during a match for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers on February 1, 2022

The rivalry between Colombia and Argentina is more about "respect" than strong dislike. Their matches always attract a lot of interest.

Colombia's 5–0 win against Argentina in the 1994 World Cup qualifiers was the first time Argentina had lost a World Cup qualifier at their home stadium. In the 1999 Copa América group stage, Colombia won 3–0, and Argentine striker Martin Palermo famously missed three penalty kicks in that game.

In 2021, during the Copa América semi-finals, there were some intense moments. The match ended in a penalty shootout, where Argentina won. In 2024, the two teams met again in the Copa América final, with Argentina winning 1–0 in extra time.

Colombia vs. Ecuador

Even though Colombia has won more games against Ecuador historically, the football level in Ecuador has improved a lot recently. This has led to very close matches between the two teams. For example, in the 2022 qualifiers, Colombia had a tough time against Ecuador, including a big 6–1 loss in 2020. Because of these close and competitive games, some media outlets have started calling this match the "new classic" of the region.

Home Stadium

The Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez in Barranquilla is often used for Colombia's home matches.

Colombia plays most of its home qualifying matches and friendly games at the Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez in Barranquilla. This stadium is also the home of the local football team Atlético Junior. The stadium is named after Roberto Meléndez, a famous Colombian player from the 1930s and 1940s. It has been used for all of Colombia's successful World Cup qualifying campaigns since 1990.

The Estadio Nemesio Camacho El Campín in the capital city of Bogotá is another stadium the national team uses. This stadium is home to local clubs Millonarios and Santa Fe. It was also where Colombia won the 2001 Copa América final against Mexico.

Team Image

Colombia's home uniform usually has yellow shirts with navy blue details, and navy or white shorts and socks. Their away uniform is typically navy blue shirts. At the 2014 FIFA World Cup, they wore a red kit for the first time. In the Copa América Centenario, they wore an all-white kit, but then went back to their traditional yellow and navy.

Kit Sponsorship

Kit supplier	Period
Adidas	1980–1987
Puma	1987
Adidas	1988–1990
Kelme	1991
Comba	1992
Umbro	1992–1998
Reebok	1998–2002
Lotto	2002–2010
Adidas	2011–present

Coaching Staff

Position	Name
Head coach	Néstor Lorenzo
Assistant coaches	Fernando Alloco Luis Amaranto Perea
Goalkeeping coach	Alejandro Otamendi
Fitness coaches	Leandro Jorge Leandro Clocchiatti
Physicians	Gustavo Pineda Mauricio Serrato
Physiotherapist	Salomón Vizcarra
Match analyst	Francis García Talavera
Media consultant	Pablo Vásquez Peñaranda

Players

Current Squad

Here are the 26 players who were called up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches on June 6 and 10, 2025, against Peru and Argentina. Caps (games played) and goals are updated as of June 10, 2025, after the match against Argentina.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
	1GK	David Ospina	(1988-08-31) 31 August 1988 (age 36)	128	0	Atlético Nacional
	1GK	Camilo Vargas	(1989-03-09) 9 March 1989 (age 36)	37	0	Atlas
	1GK	Kevin Mier	(2000-05-18) 18 May 2000 (age 25)	2	0	Cruz Azul
	2DF	Davinson Sánchez	(1996-06-12) 12 June 1996 (age 29)	71	3	Galatasaray
	2DF	Yerry Mina	(1994-09-24) 24 September 1994 (age 30)	50	7	Cagliari
	2DF	Daniel Muñoz	(1996-05-26) 26 May 1996 (age 29)	40	3	Crystal Palace
	2DF	Jhon Lucumí	(1998-06-26) 26 June 1998 (age 27)	29	0	Bologna
	2DF	Deiver Machado	(1993-09-02) 2 September 1993 (age 31)	12	0	Lens
	2DF	Cristian Borja	(1993-02-18) 18 February 1993 (age 32)	8	0	América
	2DF	Willer Ditta	(1997-01-23) 23 January 1997 (age 28)	2	0	Cruz Azul
	2DF	Andrés Román	(1995-10-05) 5 October 1995 (age 29)	2	0	Atlético Nacional
	3MF	James Rodríguez (captain)	(1991-07-12) 12 July 1991 (age 34)	116	29	León
	3MF	Jefferson Lerma	(1994-10-25) 25 October 1994 (age 30)	56	3	Crystal Palace
	3MF	Jhon Arias	(1997-09-21) 21 September 1997 (age 27)	31	3	Wolverhampton Wanderers
	3MF	Richard Ríos	(2000-06-02) 2 June 2000 (age 25)	23	2	Benfica
	3MF	Jorge Carrascal	(1998-05-25) 25 May 1998 (age 27)	19	2	Flamengo
	3MF	Kevin Castaño	(2000-09-29) 29 September 2000 (age 24)	19	0	River Plate
	3MF	Yáser Asprilla	(2003-11-19) 19 November 2003 (age 21)	8	2	Girona
	3MF	Jaminton Campaz	(2000-05-24) 24 May 2000 (age 25)	4	0	Rosario Central
	3MF	Rafael Carrascal	(1992-11-26) 26 November 1992 (age 32)	1	0	América de Cali
	3MF	Gustavo Puerta	(2003-07-23) 23 July 2003 (age 22)	0	0	Hull City
	4FW	Luis Díaz	(1997-01-13) 13 January 1997 (age 28)	64	19	Liverpool
	4FW	Cucho Hernández	(1999-04-20) 20 April 1999 (age 26)	6	2	Real Betis
	4FW	Luis Suárez	(1997-12-02) 2 December 1997 (age 27)	5	0	Sporting CP
	4FW	Marino Hinestroza	(2002-06-08) 8 June 2002 (age 23)	1	0	Atlético Nacional

Recent Call-ups

These players have also been called up to the team in the last year.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Álvaro Montero	(1995-03-29) 29 March 1995 (age 30)	8	0	Velez Sarsfield	v.  Paraguay, 25 March 2025
DF	Santiago Arias	(1992-01-13) 13 January 1992 (age 33)	62	0	Bahia	v.  Paraguay, 25 March 2025
DF	Johan Mojica	(1992-08-21) 21 August 1992 (age 32)	38	1	Mallorca	v.  Paraguay, 25 March 2025
DF	Carlos Cuesta	(1999-03-09) 9 March 1999 (age 26)	23	0	Galatasaray	v.  Paraguay, 25 March 2025
DF	Juan David Cabal INJ	(2001-01-08) 8 January 2001 (age 24)	1	0	Juventus	v.  Uruguay, 15 November 2024 INJ
DF	Yerson Mosquera INJ	(2001-05-02) 2 May 2001 (age 24)	4	1	Wolverhampton Wanderers	v.  Argentina, 6 September 2024
MF	Juan Fernando Quintero INJ	(1993-01-18) 18 January 1993 (age 32)	41	5	River Plate	v.  Peru, 6 June 2025 INJ
MF	Juan Portilla	(1998-09-12) 12 September 1998 (age 26)	3	0	River Plate	v.  Paraguay, 25 March 2025
MF	Mateus Uribe	(1991-03-21) 21 March 1991 (age 34)	61	6	Atlético Nacional	v.  Ecuador, 19 November 2024
MF	Sebastián Gómez	(1996-06-03) 3 June 1996 (age 29)	2	0	Coritiba	v.  Ecuador, 19 November 2024
MF	Nelson Deossa	(2000-02-06) 6 February 2000 (age 25)	0	0	Real Betis	v.  Chile, 15 October 2024
MF	Jhon Solís	(2004-10-03) 3 October 2004 (age 20)	0	0	Girona	v.  Argentina, 6 September 2024
FW	Rafael Santos Borré	(1995-09-15) 15 September 1995 (age 29)	40	6	Internacional	v.  Peru, 6 June 2025 INJ
FW	Jhon Durán INJ	(2003-12-13) 13 December 2003 (age 21)	17	3	Fenerbahçe	v.  Peru, 6 June 2025 INJ
FW	Jhon Córdoba INJ	(1993-05-11) 11 May 1993 (age 32)	16	4	Krasnodar	v.  Peru, 6 June 2025 INJ
FW	Luis Sinisterra	(1999-06-17) 17 June 1999 (age 26)	18	5	Bournemouth	v.  Brazil, 20 March 2025 INJ
FW	Andrés Gómez	(2002-09-12) 12 September 2002 (age 22)	4	2	Rennes	v.  Ecuador, 19 November 2024
FW	Johan Carbonero	(1999-07-20) 20 July 1999 (age 26)	0	0	Internacional	v.  Ecuador, 19 November 2024
FW	Roger Martínez	(1994-06-23) 23 June 1994 (age 31)	28	4	Al-Taawoun	v.  Bolivia, 10 October 2024 INJ
INJ Withdrew due to injury PRE Preliminary squad RET Retired from the national team SUS Suspended

Individual Records

These are the players who have played the most games or scored the most goals for Colombia. Players in bold are still playing for the national team.

Most Capped Players

David Ospina has played the most games for Colombia, with 128 international appearances.

Top Goalscorers

Radamel Falcao is Colombia's all-time top scorer with 36 goals.

Competitive Records

FIFA World Cup

FIFA World Cup Record											Qualification Record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pos	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1930	Not a FIFA member										Not a FIFA member
1934
1938	Withdrew										Withdrew
1950	Did not enter										Did not enter
1954
1958	Did not qualify										3rd	4	0	1	3	3	8
1962	Group stage	14th	3	0	1	2	5	11	Squad		1st	2	1	1	0	2	1
1966	Did not qualify										3rd	4	1	0	3	4	10
1970											3rd	6	1	1	4	7	12
1974											2nd	4	1	3	0	3	2
1978											3rd	4	0	2	2	1	8
1982											3rd	4	0	2	2	4	7
1986											3rd	8	3	2	3	8	10
1990	Round of 16	14th	4	1	1	2	4	4	Squad		1st	6	3	2	1	6	3
1994	Group stage	19th	3	1	0	2	4	5	Squad		1st	6	4	2	0	13	2
1998		21st	3	1	0	2	1	3	Squad		3rd	16	8	4	4	23	15
2002	Did not qualify										6th	18	7	6	5	20	15
2006											6th	18	6	6	6	24	16
2010											7th	18	6	5	7	14	18
2014	Quarter-finals	5th	5	4	0	1	12	4	Squad		2nd	16	9	3	4	27	13
2018	Round of 16	9th	4	2	1	1	6	3	Squad		4th	18	7	6	5	21	19
2022	Did not qualify										6th	18	5	8	5	20	19
2026	Qualification in progress										TBD	16	5	7	4	19	15
2030	To be determined										To be determined
2034
Total	Quarter-finals	6/20	22	9	3	10	32	30	—		—	186	67	61	58	219	193

1.Played Intercontinental playoffs.

Copa América

     Champions       Runners-up       Third place       Fourth place  

South American Championship / Copa América Record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad
1916	No national representative
1917
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925	Not a CONMEBOL member
1926
1927
1929
1935
1937	Withdrew
1939
1941
1942
1945	Fifth place	5th	6	1	1	4	7	25	Squad
1946	Withdrew
1947	Eighth place	8th	7	0	2	5	2	19	Squad
1949		8th	7	0	2	5	4	23	Squad
1953	Withdrew
1955
1956
1957	Fifth place	5th	6	2	0	4	10	25	Squad
1959	Withdrew
1959
1963	Seventh place	7th	6	0	1	5	10	19	Squad
1967	Did not qualify
1975	Runners-up	2nd	9	6	0	3	11	5	Squad
1979	Group stage	5th	4	2	1	1	5	2	Squad
1983		7th	4	1	2	1	5	5	Squad
1987	Third place	3rd	4	3	0	1	8	3	Squad
1989	Group stage	6th	4	1	2	1	5	4	Squad
1991	Fourth place	4th	7	2	2	3	5	6	Squad
1993	Third place	3rd	6	3	2	1	6	4	Squad
1995		3rd	6	3	1	2	7	8	Squad
1997	Quarter-finals	8th	4	1	0	3	6	7	Squad
1999		5th	4	3	0	1	8	4	Squad
2001	Champions	1st	6	6	0	0	11	0	Squad
2004	Fourth place	4th	6	3	1	2	7	7	Squad
2007	Group stage	9th	3	1	0	2	3	9	Squad
2011	Quarter-finals	6th	4	2	1	1	3	2	Squad
2015		6th	4	1	2	1	1	1	Squad
2016	Third place	3rd	6	3	1	2	7	6	Squad
2019	Quarter-finals	5th	4	3	1	0	4	0	Squad
2021	Third place	3rd	7	2	3	2	7	7	Squad
2024	Runners-up	2nd	6	4	1	1	12	3	Squad
Total	1 Title	24/35	130	53	26	51	154	194	—

CONCACAF Gold Cup

CONCACAF Gold Cup Record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad
2000	Runners-up	2nd	5	2	1	2	5	7	Squad
2003	Quarter-finals	5th	3	1	1	1	2	3	Squad
2005	Semi-finals	4th	5	2	0	3	7	7	Squad
Total	Runners-up	3/3	13	5	2	6	14	17	—

FIFA Confederations Cup

FIFA Confederations Cup Record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad
1992	Did not qualify
1995
1997
1999
2001
2003	Fourth place	4th	5	2	0	3	5	5	Squad
2005	Did not qualify
2009
2013
2017
Total	Fourth place	1/10	5	2	0	3	5	5	—

Head-to-Head Record

This table shows how Colombia has performed against other FIFA recognized teams.

      Positive Record       Neutral Record       Negative Record

Senior competition				Total
CONMEBOL Copa América	1	2	5	8
CONCACAF Gold Cup	0	1	0	1
Total	1	3	5	9

Honours

Continental Titles

• Copa América
  • Champions (1): 2001
  • Runners-up (2): 1975, 2024
  • Third place (5): 1987, 1993, 1995, 2016, 2021
• CONCACAF Gold Cup
  • Runners-up (1): 2000

Regional Titles

• Central American and Caribbean Games
  • Gold medal (1): 1946
  • Bronze medal (1): 1938
• Bolivarian Games
  • Gold medal (1): 1951
  • Bronze medal (3): 1961, 1973, 1981

Friendly Tournament Wins

• Copa Centenario de Armenia (1): 1989
• Marlboro Cup (1): 1990

Awards

• FIFA Best Mover of the Year (1): 1993
• FIFA World Cup Fair Play Trophy (1): 2014
• Copa America Fair Play Award (1): 2024

Images for kids

• 

  Colombia at their first South American Championship in 1945

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Colombia para niños

• Colombia Olympic football team
• Colombia national under-20 football team
• Colombia national under-17 football team
• Colombia national under-15 football team
• Colombia national futsal team