The Colombia national team will partake in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers in a few days as they fight to finish in the top four and qualify for their third straight World Cup.
One of the players who didn’t get the call to represent Colombia is Boavista FC Sebastián Pérez. Although the 28-year-old is a prominent player, the marque absence from the national team continues to be Everton FC’s, James Rodríguez.
“James loves the Colombian National Team more than anyone, and when he wears the tricolor, he transforms; they don’t know how he trains,” Pérez said to Blog Deportivo (via Marca)
“I think the reactions are very personal, he has his way of expressing himself, and I have mine, and no one can give an opinion for another. He may regret something he said, but what we all want is for him to keep breaking it because it will help us make a difference.”
Rodríguez has yet to play under new manager Reinaldo Rueda, who didn’t call him up for the Copa America this summer despite being healthy to compete in the tournament.
This set of World Cup Qualifying fixtures, Rodríguez is currently figuring out his future at the club level. As a result, the 30-year-old didn’t receive a call-up to help Los Cafeteros with their dream of heading to Qatar.
It will be interesting to see if Rodríguez gets a call-up to represent Colombia in October for the two qualifying fixtures.