Colombian midfielder Juan Guillermo Cuadrado declares that Qatar 2022 was his last chance to play in a World Cup
The talented Colombian player Juan Guillermo Cuadrado, who currently plays for Juventus in Italy, stated on Thursday, after failing to qualify for the Qatar 2022 World Cup with the Colombian national team, that this was his "last opportunity" to play in the World Cup.
"No one but us, as a family, knows the sadness (that we feel), especially when thinking that it was my last opportunity, but even in the midst of it (the sadness) we must rise up and move forward," stated the 33-year-old player on an Instagram story, casting doubt on his continuity with the national team.
Colombia bid farewell to its dream of qualifying for the World Cup on Tuesday, despite defeating Venezuela 0-1 as visitors in the last round of the qualifiers.
The team led by Reinaldo Rueda needed to defeat Venezuela to secure a spot in the playoffs, which Peru achieved and will play the playoffs against an Asian team.
In this regard, Cuadrado recalled that Colombia participated in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and the 2018 World Cup in Russia, marking the country's return to the tournament after 16 years of absence, something that the Juventus player considers a "reason to be grateful for".
The next World Cup will be held in Canada, Mexico, and the United States in 2026, and it is assumed that Colombian football will undergo a restructuring to qualify under the leadership of players like Luis Díaz, Carlos Cuesta, or Luis Sinisterra, who will take over from icons like James Rodríguez, Falcao García, Cuadrado, or David Ospina.
If Cuadrado plays in the 2026 World Cup, he will be 38 years old.
On the other hand, James expressed his regret on Wednesday that Colombia could not qualify for the Qatar 2022 World Cup, while also casting doubt on his continuity with the national team.
"I don't know what the future holds for the next processes, I don't know if I'll be there or not. What I do know is that losing breaks my heart, not being qualified bothers me, and this cannot happen again," wrote the player, who currently defends the colors of Al Rayyan. EFE