José Pékerman: Why He Left Colombia National Team

The happiest story of recent years in the Colombian National Team was told in Brazil, in the 2014 World Cup, in which the best historical classification was achieved, reaching the quarterfinals.

Elevating James Rodríguez, scorer and winner of the Puskas Award for that championship, surviving Falcao‘s absence, shooting players like Ospina, Armero, Aguilar, Sánchez, Teófilo, Cuadrado, Jackson and so many idols of that happy moment, had a genius behind it: coach José Pékerman.

Much was said about his departure from the national team, after disagreements and Colombia’s arrival in the round of 16 of the World Cup in Russia, after losing against England on penalties. But now he himself wanted to give his version.

‘In Colombia I left with great sadness’: ‘Pékerman’

The successful coach spoke in Argentina with journalist Yeltsin Ríos, and acknowledged that his goodbye was very different from what he dreamed of, since he lacked time and guarantees to repeat in Colombia the successful experience that he was able to guide in his country.

After acknowledging that he prefers coffee over mate, he went on to evaluate the best he did in his career: “Undoubtedly, 2006 and 2014, not to be unfair to 2018, because there were situations where we were missing something. Not in the World Cup, but I always hoped that some injuries that affected performance would not happen,” he commented.

And then he confessed his feelings, after years, about the way the successful cycle in Colombia ended.

“I think that in Colombia I left with great sadness, in the sense that I would have wanted to carry out a similar plan (to that of Argentina). Unfortunately I got frustrated, because my eyes were set on the top and I have other ways and I think that there is still a lot of room for improvement,” he said.

For him, many things have to change for the titles to arrive: “I think that there is still a lot of room for improvement and everything that can be overcome, Colombia has to be born there (youth categories), but with a very important agreement between the different protagonists of football, I think that sometimes a lot is closed in a certain sector. To achieve what people expect and that long-awaited title, some firmer foundations are needed,” said Pékerman.

Regarding what he expects at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, he said that “Argentina is ready to be in the fight for the title” and that in the case of Colombia “I always have faith in them and even more so with Lorenzo.”

Pékerman, a teacher who trained none other than today’s leadership structure in the Argentine national teams, including the world champion Lionel Scaloni who always recognizes him as his great mentor, was left with the feeling of having been able to do more in Colombia, where he left amid reports of mistreatment by some FCF directors after the World Cup in Russia. Today there is his former assistant, Lorenzo, who was already a Copa América finalist. What would have been if Pékerman’s expectation had been fulfilled? Sadly we will never know…