Copa America 2024: Colombia, Argentina, and a circle of unbeaten streaks

With the win against Uruguay in the 2024 Copa America, Lorenzo’s men had created a national record for the longest unbeaten run, going one more game without a loss than the previous record (1992-94).

Players of Colombia celebrate their side’s opening goal against Uruguay scored by teammate Jefferson Lerma during a Copa America semifinal soccer match in Charlotte, N.C., Wednesday, July 10, 2024. | Photo Credit: AP

For Colombia, all roads lead back to Argentina.

The Los Cafeteros will be entering Sunday’s Copa America 2024 final against La Albiceleste on the back of an incredible 28-match unbeaten run, hopeful of dethroning defending champion Argentina to claim their second title.

Colombia defeated Uruguay 1-0 in the semifinals of this year’s Copa America to add another win to its ongoing invincible streak.

The last time the men in yellow lost a match was against Argentina, back in 2022. They narrowly lost to the men in the white and blue stripes courtesy of a Lautaro Martinez strike, the forward who currently tops the 2024 Copa America scoring charts with four goals.

That was a World Cup qualifier on February 2, more than two years back; two years, five months, and 11 days to be precise (as of July 13, 2024).

How did Colombia’s 28-match unbeaten run begin?

The streak began under coach Reinaldo Rueda, a Colombian, who oversaw the side’s wins over Bolivia (3-0) and Venezuela (1-0) before he was given the boot for failing to take the nation to a third consecutive FIFA World Cup. This was Rueda’s third stint as Colombia men’s team’s head coach.

The unbeaten run was maintained by Rueda’s compatriot and successor Hector Cardenas – a stop-gap solution to Colombia’s search for a permanent coach – who led the side to a 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia. This was the only match managed by Cardenas.

In September of that year, Argentine tactician Nestor Lorenzo was handed the reins, and boy did he steer them! He heralded a more attacking brand of football amongst the Cafeteros ranks, one that is best evidenced by the number of goals netted under his tenure so far.

While Lorenzo’s playing XIs have leaked in more goals (16) than those under the previous two coaches in Rueda and Cardenas (13), his side has scored 50 goals in 25 games, which is more than twice that of sides under his recent predecessors managed in 23 games (24 goals).

Lorenzo’s first win came in a 4-1 victory over Guatemala, that saw skipper James Rodriguez amongst the goalscorers. Rodriguez seems to have found his mojo once again under the Argentinian coach, which has peaked in the ongoing Copa America. The player has scored four goals and provided eight assists in 19 appearances under Lorenzo.

Colombia’s James Rodriguez has had an excellent Copa America 2024 with six assists and one goal. | Photo Credit: AP

The unbeaten run so far includes some memorable wins for Colombia. It beat sides like Germany, Brazil, and Euro 2024 finalist Spain. Colombia’s biggest win margin under Lorenzo has been the recent 5-0 win over Panama in the Copa America 2024 quarterfinals.

A national record with familiar beginnings

History loves to repeat itself. This rings all the more after looking at the last time Colombia had such an unbeaten streak.

With the win against Uruguay in the 2024 Copa America, Lorenzo’s men had created a national record for the longest unbeaten run, going one more game without a loss than the previous record.

It was between 1992 and 1994 that the nation had a 27-game unbeaten record, a feat that was achieved mostly under four-time Colombia coach Francisco Maturana.

Back then too, the road led back to Argentina as the last match Colombia lost before embarking on the streak was against the Albiceleste. It was a 1-2 defeat where a certain Diego Simeone – the current Atletico de Madrid manager – scored one of the goals for Argentina on July 21, 1991.

This loss was part of the 1991 Copa America final round – it was a round-robin stage where the top team out of four was crowned champion – that saw Colombia end as the fourth-placed side. This led to the sacking of the then-coach Luis Garcia.

The 27-game streak began in 1992 when Humberto Ortiz coached the national team for a couple of games, getting a win and a draw against the USA and Mexico respectively.

Then, Ortiz was succeeded by Maturana in 1993, who was set to start his second stint with the Colombian national team. Maturana began with a 0-0 draw against Venezuela in an international friendly match.

The biggest win for Colombia during this streak was a shocking 5-0 win over Argentina in 1993 in a FIFA World Cup qualifier. This was one of Albiceleste’s biggest defeats in its storied history.

Maturana’s dream run ended after his team lost to Bolivia in a 0-1 defeat in 1994, thereby wrapping up the unbeaten streak at 27 games.

The last time Colombia and Argentina met in a Copa America was in the 2021 semifinals when the match ended in a 1-1 draw after regulation time. A repeat of that would keep Colombia’s unbeaten intact. However, it would count for nothing if Lorenzo’s side failed to clinch the trophy, and Lionel Scaloni’s men succeed in ending the Cafeteros’ unblemished run, just as they’d involuntarily started it.