Colombia beat Venezuela 1-0 on Tuesday night, but it wasn’t enough to save their World Cup qualifying campaign.
Other results didn’t go their way, and that means they’ll miss the tournament in Qatar. It’s a big blow to the country, and means some of their stars of the past decade or so are unlikely to play in another World Cup.
For Liverpool’s Luis Diaz, there’s still time and it’s clear he’s seen as the future of the national team. Diaz was excellent for Colombia at the last Copa America, and his rise at FC Porto helped his star grow.
However, it’s his move to Liverpool, and quick success for Jurgen Klopp’s side, which has helped the hype in Colombia grow. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to save them.
During the match, Venezuela’s Ronald Hernandez put a challenge in on the attacker, who fell to the ground, ‘screamed’, and ‘writhed in pain’, report Gol Caracol, one of the leading outlets in Colombia.
They say James Rodriguez couldn’t believe it didn’t result in a red card for Hernandez, and other Colombian stars feel the same.
Egan Bernal, a national hero and Tour de France winner, said “Oh no, let them injure me and not Luchito Diaz,” which shows just how loved the Liverpool player is.
