Néstor Lorenzo renews contract as Colombia coach

Néstor Lorenzo will continue as the head coach of the Colombian national football team after renewing his contract with the Colombian Football Federation (FCF). Lorenzo, 60, has been in charge of the team since 2022.

Under Lorenzo's guidance, Colombia reached the final of the 2024 Copa América, where they lost 1-0 to Argentina. This marked Colombia's first continental final appearance since 2001. The team also advanced to the round of 16 in the 2026 World Cup, though their elimination by Switzerland on penalties followed a goalless match and drew criticism from some fans and analysts, particularly in contrast to their strong performance in the South American qualifiers.

Despite the criticism, the FCF announced the contract renewal without specifying an end date. Lorenzo, who previously spent eight years as an assistant coach for Colombia under José Pekerman, has maintained good relationships with many current players. Led by captain James Rodríguez, Colombia's 2026 World Cup campaign included five goals, three wins, and one draw, but they were eliminated after a penalty shootout.

Lorenzo has expressed his commitment to continuing the project, stating, "Now is the time to regain energy and continue working on the development of this project. We will continue building a stronger team." He also highlighted the significant logistical challenges faced during the World Cup, noting that Colombia was the only team to play in all three host countries: Mexico, the United States, and Canada.

The team's World Cup performance was also shadowed by media reports of alleged dressing room disputes and verbal altercations between Lorenzo and some players after a match against Ghana. Additionally, player Jáminton Campaz received threats on social media after missing a scoring opportunity in the penalty shootout loss to Switzerland.

“

desafíos