Colombian national team: The 'Léider Preciado effect' between hysteria and panic... (Meluk tells it, opinion)

When problems and situations are at their most heated, it's important to keep a cool head. That's why it's necessary to stop neurosis and hysteria: above all, stay calm.

The Colombian national team 's obligation is to beat Peru in Barranquilla to secure their place in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. They are in sixth place, the last direct qualification spot. They went there due to the unacceptable defeat in Bolivia and because they haven't won in their last four matches: they lost three (Uruguay, Ecuador, and Brazil) and drew one (Paraguay).

I repeat: now is the time to keep our feet firmly on the ground, breathe deeply, and not give in to despair and anxiety.

In the widespread panic of the press and fans, coach Néstor Lorenzo is being screamed at to bring in Marino Hinestroza, Dayro Moreno, Duván Vergara, Kevin Viveros, and Teo Gutiérrez, all of whom shine in our everyday league...

But that's it: our everyday League, the slow and limited one, the sixth in the world with the least effective playing time per match according to the Cies football observatory. Proportion, please.

Sure, there are tasty and filling currents, but they are still just executive tray.

In desperation and anguish, the 'Léider Preciado effect' grows. Minimal context for the new generation: before the 1998 World Cup in France , Léider was Santa Fe's leading scorer, the most in-demand player in the Colombian tournament. 'Bolillo' Gómez, the national team coach who didn't score goals. Pressured by 'public opinion' in an era without social media, called him up for a friendly against Chile . "If he scores two goals against me, I'll take him to the World Cup." And Léider did! So, he took him to the World Cup , and Léider scored the team's only goal in that World Cup (1-0 against Tunisia).

I never saw that again. For example, Jorge Luis Pinto put together a national team with Agustín Julio, Wálter Moreno, Pepe Portocarrero, Gerardo Vallejo, 'Ringo' Amaya, Dayro Moreno—yes, it's the same one—Jaime Castrillón, Aldo Leao, among others, all from the local league. We already know how he fared.

I repeat again: keep a cool head and be balanced.

Germán Cano, DIM's all-time super-scorer, Fluminense 's star striker who won the Copa Libertadores, didn't even get a sniff of being a substitute for the Argentine national team , because playing with a violin is one thing, playing with a guitar is another.

The current Argentine League final is Platense-Huracán. Anyone in the running for the national team?

Néstor Lorenzo has a core team, and he has to work with them to get out of this mess. Starting to invent new ideas at the most complex moment is a mistake. The national team 's best players are in much stronger leagues. He'll probably call up Hinestroza , the in-demand one. There's no need to give him political advice, either. And who knows, he'll probably leave.

For Lucho Díaz, who couldn't play against Peru , it's only logical that Arias goes. And the rest, well, they're the same as always. He's the best there is. He is what there is, without neurosis or hysteria.