Rodriguez, Diaz headline Colombia World Cup squad

Colombia's World Cup aspirations are set to be led by veteran captain James Rodriguez and Bayern Munich star Luis Diaz. Coach Nestor Lorenzo unveiled his squad on Monday, marking Colombia's return to the global tournament after a one-off absence in Qatar.

This will be Colombia's seventh World Cup appearance. Rodriguez, who previously won the Golden Boot at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, will captain an experienced side that includes Crystal Palace players Daniel Munoz and Jefferson Lerma. The team secured qualification through a strong South American campaign and aims to surpass its best-ever World Cup performance, a quarter-final finish in 2014.

Before their Group K opener against Uzbekistan on June 17, Colombia will hold a training camp in Bogota. They are scheduled to play friendlies against Costa Rica on June 1 and Jordan on June 7. Their group stage opponents also include DR Congo and Portugal.