PREVIEW-Soccer-Diaz fuels Colombia's hopes on World Cup return

After failing to qualify for the 2022 tournament in Qatar, Colombia appointed Nestor Lorenzo for his first international head-coaching job, ‌tasking the 60-year-old Argentine with building a physically strong, attack-minded side centred on Diaz. They secured third place in the South American qualifiers, scoring fewer goals only than reigning world champions Argentina, with Diaz netting seven times in the campaign, one behind top scorer Lionel Messi.

Colombia return to the World Cup ​after an eight-year absence counting on forward Luis Diaz ​to meet high expectations following a season in ‌which ​he was directly involved in more than 40 goals for Bayern Munich. After failing to qualify for the 2022 tournament in Qatar, Colombia appointed Nestor Lorenzo for his first international head-coaching job, ‌tasking the 60-year-old Argentine with building a physically strong, attack-minded side centred on Diaz.

They secured third place in the South American qualifiers, scoring fewer goals only than reigning world champions Argentina, with Diaz netting seven times in the campaign, one behind top scorer Lionel Messi. The "Cafeteros," ‌as they are nicknamed in the nation known for its high-quality coffee, defeated both Brazil and Argentina in qualifying and finished ‌runners-up to Argentina at the 2024 Copa America - their best result since winning it in 2001.

Their home win over Brazil in late 2023 came at an especially delicate time for Diaz, who scored twice in the match played shortly after his parents were kidnapped by a local guerrilla group in the still violence-marred ⁠country. While his ​mother was released the same day, ⁠Diaz's father remained in the rebels' custody for 12 days. The National Liberation Army (ELN) said at the time the kidnapping was a "mistake."

"It was the most difficult ⁠moment of my life," said the striker, who was then playing for Liverpool. He found immediate success after signing for Bayern for an estimated 75 million ​euros ($86.95 million) in July 2025, winning the Bundesliga title and helping them to reach the Champions League semi-finals.

Bayern manager Vincent ⁠Kompany described him as a "machine" with a "kind of chaotic creativity," while Colombian great Carlos Valderrama said Diaz had already surpassed his own achievements. Colombia head to North America ⁠this ​month hoping to leave behind memories of their 1994 campaign in the United States, when the Valderrama-led team were tipped as favourites by soccer great Pele but ended up eliminated in the group stage.

The South American side debut in Group K on June ⁠17 against Uzbekistan in Mexico City, before facing Portugal and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Diaz will have support from 34-year-old James ⁠Rodriguez, who inspired Colombia's run to ⁠the quarter-finals in 2014 but has had underwhelming club spells in recent years, and Sporting forward Luis Suarez.

"We have a great team. I'm really excited for my first World Cup," Diaz said. ($1 = 0.8626 ‌euros)