First Touch | World Soccer27 Des 2025

First Touch ’26 - Colombia

No country rides the emotional roller coaster of the World Cup quite like Colombia. In this World Cup Capsule, David Gass tells the story of Los Cafeteros—a team of dazzling highs and devastating lows, back on the biggest stage after an eight-year absence. We go from the game’s beginnings in Barranquilla and the wild “El Dorado” era, when Colombia briefly hosted the world’s best league, through the joyful, chaotic 1990s: Carlos Valderrama’s iconic hair and passes, René Higuita’s scorpion kick, the rising hopes of a new South American powerhouse—and the tragedy of Andrés Escobar’s own goal and murder, which scarred both the national team and the country’s image during the height of narco-football. Colombia Script

From there, we fast-forward to the 2014 World Cup and James Rodríguez’s star turn, the choreographed celebrations that made Colombia everyone’s second team, and the painful 2022 qualifying failure that forced a reset. We break down the rebuild under manager Néstor Lopez, including a 28-game unbeaten streak, a Copa América final against Argentina, and a 2026 qualifying campaign that saw Colombia finish third in the brutal CONMEBOL gauntlet. With Luis Díaz now starring for Bayern Munich, James still pulling strings in a 4-3-1-2, and Yaser Asprilla emerging as the next great creative talent, Colombia arrive in a Group K clash with Uzbekistan, Portugal, and a yet-to-be-determined opponent eyeing another quarterfinal run. Along the way, we spotlight Valderrama as a national hero, the ferocious domestic rivalries that define Colombian football culture, and even why a country with 18 public holidays might just be the perfect home for the world’s most joyful fans.

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Episoder(128)

First Touch Weekly | Deportivo A Coruña’s La Liga Resurgence

Deportivo A Coruña is back in Spain’s top flight and off to a flying start. Susannah Fuller looks at the club’s remarkable journey from the heights of Super Depor to the depths of Spanish football, an...

17 Sep 16min

First Touch Dispatch | James Rodriguez Retires, VAR Controversy & the Ballon d’Or

James Rodriguez brings his Colombia career to a close, four Americans are making their mark at Middlesbrough, and Paris FC and Como are emerging among Europe’s early-season surprises. Plus, the fallou...

15 Sep 16min

Open Mic | Mary Harvey on Building the Women’s Game

Mary Harvey has seen the women’s game from almost every angle in her career, as a USWNT goalkeeper to FIFA leader and WPS executive. Today, she leads the Center for Sport and Human Rights, and she joi...

11 Sep 1h

First Touch Weekly | Nico Cantor Takes Us Inside South American Football

Susannah Fuller welcomes Nico Cantor to explore the culture, history and competitive spirit of South American football. from the continent’s biggest clubs and competitions to Nico’s beloved Boca Junio...

10 Sep 37min

Open Mic | Kieran Gibbs on Developing the Next Generation of Soccer Players

Susannah Fuller chats with former Arsenal and England defender Kieran Gibbs to talk about his path from pro player to co-founding ONE FC, a youth soccer academy in Miami. Gibbs shares his approach to ...

4 Sep 32min

First Touch Weekly | London City Lionesses Are Going For It

The Women’s Super League (WSL) returns, and Susannah Fuller is joined by football journalist and the founder of The Cutback Flo Lloyd-Hughes to look at what could make this season different. They dive...

3 Sep 15min

First Touch Dispatch | Messi Retires, Bayern Begin Again & Champions League Draw

Messi calls time on his Argentina career, Bayern Munich begin another title defense, and London City Lionesses enter the WSL with a squad built to challenge the established order. Plus, a closer look ...

1 Sep 13min

First Touch Weekly | Europe Is Back!

The European soccer season is underway, and there are already plenty of questions to answer.Can Liverpool thrive under Andoni Iraola? What makes Como one of Europe's most intriguing teams? And how wil...

27 Aug 35min