Uruguay’s Marcelo Bielsa hails Colombia’s attack ahead of Copa America semi-final

CHARLOTTE – Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa has hailed Colombia’s unique array of attacking options and the evolution of La Tricolor players ahead of their crunch Copa America semi-final at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, on July 10.

The Colombians arrived at the tournament as the in-form team, having not lost a game since February 2022.

Since then, they have beaten the likes of Spain, Brazil, Germany and Japan.

In the United States, they finished ahead of Brazil in Group D, before hammering Panama in the quarter-finals.

Argentinian Bielsa, considered one of football’s most influential modern coaches, said of La Tricolor: “Colombia have many forwards, which is not common today. There is more than one option for each level without much difference.

“The Colombian footballer has undergone a transformation. He has always been creative, dominant, naturally competitive and has added the essentials to survive in today’s football.”

Liverpool attacker Luis Diaz is the standout forward in Colombia’s pack, besides Aston Villa’s Jhon Duran, Bournemouth’s Luis Sinisterra and captain James Rodriguez of Sao Paulo.

Rodriguez has had an excellent tournament, providing five assists and scoring once over four matches.

The 32-year-old former Real Madrid playmaker has also created more chances than any other player at the tournament (14). Ten of those have come via set pieces, with four resulting in goals.

Said Uruguay’s Federico Valverde of Rodriguez: “I think James is in a very good moment. It’s normal, in the end, we know what James is and what he gives. So, we are going to rest and get ready...

“I think Colombia are one of the best teams in the Copa America; they have a very good game. They are really good.”

No team have scored more goals at this Copa than Colombia (11), but their Argentinian coach Nestor Lorenzo says their tournament can be considered a success only if they end a 23-year title drought.

Their only Copa win came in 2001 on home soil, when they beat Mexico 1-0 in the final.

“To have a good Copa America is to win it. It is not an abstract concept. The objective is to win every game we play, and the boys know that,” said Lorenzo, who has yet to lose a match since taking over in July 2022 (18 wins, six draws).

“(We take it) game by game. The goal is to win the next game. The most important game is the next one.

“We are confirming the importance of coming to the national team and wearing the shirt. They (the players) feel a great pride in being there, and that is typical of players.

“In this team, they kill themselves for their teammates. We worked hard on that from the beginning. It’s the way I feel about football from the technical direction.”

While his Argentinian counterpart Bielsa has also overseen an uptick in Uruguay’s fortunes since taking over in May 2023 and done so by instituting his trademark high-energy, attacking style, the 68-year-old renowned football thinker was downbeat about the state of modern football.

He said: “Football has more and more spectators but it is becoming less and less attractive.

“What made the game the best game in the world at the time is not being prioritised today...

“No matter how many people watch football, if you don’t ensure that what people watch is something pleasant, it will only benefit the business. Because the business only cares about how many people watch it.

“But in a few years, the players who deserve to be watched will be less, and the game produced will be less enjoyable, this current artificial increase of spectators will end.

“Football is not five minutes of highlights. Football is much more than that. It is a cultural expression, it is a way of identification.”