NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 18: Luis Diaz of Colombia celebrates after scoring the team’s second goal during the International Friendly match between Colombia and Australia at Citi Field on November 18, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Jordan Bank/Getty Images)
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Colombia won two international friendly games on U.S. soil last week. The South American side defeated Australia and New Zealand, continuing a fine run of results ahead of the FIFA 2026 World Cup.
Colombia 3-0 Australia
Colombia defeated Australia 3-0 in New York on Tuesday night to make it nine matches on the bounce without defeat.
In March of this year Vinícius Junior scored a 99th-minute winner for Brazil against Colombia in FIFA World Cup qualifying. However, since then ‘Los Cafeteros’ have enjoyed an unbeaten streak.
In the Colombia win over the Socceroos, three crucial players got on the scoresheet in the last 15 minutes of the action. James Rodríguez converted a penalty in the 76th minute, Luis Díaz added a second after 89 minutes and FA Cup winner Jefferson Lerma scored the third and final goal in stoppage time.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 18: Luis Diaz of Colombia celebrates after scoring the team’s second goal with teammates during the International Friendly match between Colombia and Australia at Citi Field on November 18, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Jordan Bank/Getty Images)
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Colombia 2-1 New Zealand
Days earlier Colombia defeated New Zealand 2-1 at the home of Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami. In this game Nestor Lorenzo changed the starting team. The coach tried out some other players ahead of the FIFA 2026 World Cup next summer. Now that Colombia has qualified the priority is preparing the whole squad for what is ahead.
Gustavo Puerta, who plays for Racing Club in Spain, started and scored against New Zealand. Then Johan Carbonero, who plays for Internacional in Brazil, came off the bench to score an 88th-minute winner to make it two goals in two games for his country.
Colombia’s winger #18 Johan Carbonero celebrates after scoring a goal during the international friendly football match between Colombia and New Zealand at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on November 15, 2025. (Photo by Chandan Khanna / AFP) (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)
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FIFA 2026 World Cup Preparations Continue
Colombia is growing in confidence and on a great run. The national team is now unbeaten in nine games. The team will hope to face some top-level European competition during the March international break. It will be the last time the squad will meet up before the World Cup camp starts in June.
Colombia playing both friendlies in the U.S. is also a bonus. Whilst many nations won’t be able to play friendly matches in the nation where most of the World Cup will be hosted next year, Colombia have played many games in North America over the last two years. The Colombia team will be more familiar with its surroundings at the World Cup than most.
Colombia has shown during qualifying and during the 2024 Copa America campaign that it is capable of defeating the biggest and best teams in South America. Can Colombia do it in the biggest tournament on the planet though? ‘Cafeteros’ fans will certainly hope so. Colombia missed the last World Cup and will be eager to put its name back on the map of top-level international football.
Colombia’s forward #07 Luis Diaz (2nd-R) celebrates with teammates midfielder #06 Richard Rios and forward #11 Jhon Arias after scoring his team first goal during the 2026 FIFA World Cup South American qualifiers football match between Colombia and Paraguay at the Metropolitano Roberto Melendez stadium in Barranquilla, Colombia, on March 25, 2025. (Photo by Luis ACOSTA / AFP) (Photo by LUIS ACOSTA/AFP via Getty Images)
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