Álvaro Montero spoke exclusively with ESPN F360 after learning of his call-up to the Colombian National Team for the start of the Eliminatories towards the 2026 World Cup.
The goalkeeper of Millonarios talked about everything. He touched on the topic of the call-up, the competition in the goalkeeper position, what Lorenzo is looking for in the team, and also mentioned that he will surely be able to play against Águilas with the Ambassador.
The competition for the call-up
"I am happy to be in the select group and it is also a great responsibility. I have always said that you have to work very hard."
"I think we have good goalkeepers and the times that an additional goalkeeper to Ospina, who is our reference, has been needed, we have always done it in a good way. I believe that the coach is calm with us."
"If you are called up, you are in optimal condition and your moment is very good. Then the coaches see what they need in each game, understanding that being a coach is not easy, it is a complicated position because we all want to play."
The match against Águilas and Mackalister's request to the National Team
"I hope to be with Águilas and travel after the match. 'Viejo' (Mackalister) plays a lot. It's very annoying but he plays a lot. In Colombia, there are many players with ability who are on the radar. It depends on what the coaches are looking for in certain games."
Does playing in lower leagues make you less "selectable"?
"Colombian players are physically and technically gifted. The player is good at playing anywhere, but the level of competitiveness is achieved when you face opponents of the same level or higher level, where you face adverse circumstances and can make better decisions. That leads to improvement."
Ospina's absence
"David has always shown to be in good shape with our National Team. There has always been competition with or without Ospina. We all want to play and contribute something. Undoubtedly, Ospina has been our reference for the last ten years and if he is in good shape, he will contribute a lot. Whoever it is, we will try to do our best."
What Lorenzo is looking for
"He wants to instill the habit of winning, have ambition regardless of the opponent, and generate identity, so that Colombia identifies with the way its players compete."
Colombia's need to win something
"Usually, when you have good components, you are closer to winning than losing, but nothing guarantees you a result. Argentina has had the same generation for 20 years and wins everything in the last year. Millonarios had been doing good things for a long time and only in the end, perhaps without as much fluency as before, did they achieve the goal. We perceive that we need to win something, it doesn't happen often that so many good components come together in a team."