Colombia calls up forward Suarez for World Cup qualifiers
Xinhua
03 Jun 2025, 06:45 GMT+10
BOGOTA, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Colombia manager Nestor Lorenzo has called up Almeria forward Luis Suarez for World Cup qualifiers against Peru and Argentina, the Colombian football federation said on Monday.
Suarez, 27, replaces Rafael Santos Borre, who was cut from the Cafeteros squad after suffering an abdominal injury while playing for Brazil's Internacional on Sunday.
Santa Marta-born Suarez earned the most recent of his four Colombia caps in a 1-0 friendly victory over Saudi Arabia in June 2022.
News of Borre's withdrawal came just hours after midfielder Juan Fernando Quintero was also cut from the squad due to a knee injury.
Colombia will meet Peru in Barranquilla on Friday and Argentina in Buenos Aires four days later.
The Cafeteros are currently sixth in the 10-team South American group with four qualifiers remaining. The top six teams will earn an automatic berth at next year's World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada while the seventh-ranked side will dispute a playoff.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
England star Millie Bright pulls out of selection for Women's Euros for health reasons
England defender Millie Bright withdrew herself from selection for the European Championship on Wednesday, saying she is 'not able to give 100% mentally or physically.' Bright made herself unavailable for a recent England camp for games against Portugal and Spain and later said: 'Mentally and physically I'm at my limits.' England coach Sarina Wiegman said after the 2-1 loss to Spain on Tuesday that she would have a conversation with Bright about her availability for the Euros. In a post on Instagram, Bright said she wouldn't be taking part in the Euros and that 'stepping back is the right thing for my health, my future in the game and most importantly the team.' 'This is one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make,' she wrote, 'but after careful thought and discussions with the team, I have decided to withdraw from selection for the England squad ahead of Euro 2025. 'Football has given me so much, and representing my country has always been my greatest honor. My pride and ego tells me to go but I think the team and the fans deserve more. Right now I'm not able to give 100% mentally or physically.' Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. The 31-year-old Bright is a first-choice center back for England, playing in the team that won the Euros in 2022 and captaining the side on its run to the World Cup final in 2023. She has just helped Chelsea to win the Women's Super League-FA Cup-League Cup treble in the recently completed domestic season. England's first game in its European Championship defense is against France on July 5. ___ AP soccer:
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Italy has another issue in defense with Gabbia ruled out before facing Haaland's Norway
FLORENCE, Italy (AP) — Italy has another issue in defense before facing Erling Haaland and Norway on Friday in a World Cup qualifier. AC Milan center back Matteo Gabbia was ruled out with a right calf issue on Wednesday and Daniele Rugani was called up as a replacement. Italy was already without Francesco Acerbi, who turned down his call-up to the national team, and Alessandro Buongiorno, who left the training camp due to a right thigh injury. Rugani spent last season on loan at Ajax and is set to return to Juventus. He hasn't been called up by Italy since 2018. It's Italy's first qualifier and the Azzurri are already trailing group leader Norway, which has a full six points and a plus-seven goal differential after beating Moldova 5-0 and Israel 4-2. Italy hosts Moldova on Monday in Reggio Emilia. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. ___ AP soccer:
Canada Standard
a day ago
- Canada Standard
MLS eyeing bigger presence in China, says communications chief
NEW YORK, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Major League Soccer (MLS) is looking to expand its global footprint, with China emerging as a market of interest. "We welcome more engagement from Chinese fans," said Dan Courtemanche, Chief Communications Officer of MLS, during a briefing on Tuesday at the New York Foreign Press Center in response to a question from Xinhua. "There are certainly a lot of passionate football fans in that country, and we think there's an opportunity there." Courtemanche acknowledged that players from China are rarely featured in the league, but he said MLS would like to change that. "We'd love to see more players [from China]," he added, noting that the league currently features players from around 80 countries and regions. Looking ahead to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, Courtemanche called the tournament "rocket fuel" for the league. 11 of the 13 U.S. host cities are home to MLS clubs. The league is also looking to invest in the next generation through programs such as MLS NEXT (youth development), MLS NEXT Pro (professional feeder league), and MLS GO (recreational youth football). All of these were launched in the last five years. "We started because FIFA said, 'You need a Division I league to host the [1994] World Cup,'" Courtemanche said. "Now, 30 years later, we've not only built that league - we've built a football nation." Courtemanche noted that international engagement is often player-led, though global brands can also play a significant role. "Generally, it comes through players, but sometimes it comes through big global brands," he said, citing Inter Miami's off-season tour through the Middle East and Asia - led by Lionel Messi and several other international stars - as an example of outreach beyond the Americas. To reach global audiences, MLS has partnered with Apple TV, which streams matches in more than 100 countries with no blackout restrictions. "My 13-year-old son doesn't watch linear television," Courtemanche said. "He goes to Netflix, he goes to Amazon, he goes to Apple TV, and increasingly, so does much of our audience." Founded in 1996 as a legacy of the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States, MLS has grown from 10 to 30 clubs across the U.S. and Canada. More than 10 billion U.S. dollars has been invested in football-specific infrastructure, with teams moving from oversized American football stadiums to football-specific venues.
