Colombia will watch the rest of the World Cup from home. The coffee growers were eliminated in the round of 16 against Switzerland on penalties after a 0-0 draw in which the South American team showed less of its virtues and more of its defects.

As I write these lines, Bogotá is experiencing an overwhelming silence. It is not common in a city that is always loud with loud music in countless establishments and massive, noisy traffic.

It is the silence of defeat, of reflection.

The team led by Argentine Néstor Lorenzo was the penultimate of the Latin American teams alive, after Lionel Messi's Argentina qualified for the quarter-finals in a difficult comeback against Egypt.

Colombian fans showed their enthusiasm from the beginning of the afternoon in the capital, filling bars and streets converted into a sea of ​​yellow shirts.

They were right: the team showed good play, a dynamic attack and great tactical discipline throughout almost the entire tournament.

What was missing to advance to the quarterfinals?

wet gunpowder

Colombia finished a total of 69 times in the six games they played in this World Cup, but only scored five goals.

In the group stage they beat Uzbekistan 3-1, DR Congo 1-0, drew goalless against Portugal and beat Ghana 1-0 in the round of 32.

Before Switzerland he again accused the problem of wet powder. They finished 15 times, three between the three sticks.

For the Colombian fans there will remain that header from Jhon Lucumí to the crossbar and the one-on-one that Jaminton Campaz sent up in extra time.

The lack of success extended to penalties, with two of five shots missed.

Luis Díaz, who perhaps arrived as the most outstanding Latin American player in the regular club season, left the World Cup with just one goal.

More was expected from the stars

The lack of brilliance of the Colombian stars was another must.

Added to Díaz's lack of success was the fact that James Rodríguez, the brain of the squad, did not shine with goals or assists.

His usual substitute in the second half and another of the most technical players on this team, Juan Fernando Quintero, leaves with just one assist on goal.

It would be unfair to burden them with the duty of elimination.

They were also responsible and drivers of the good play and dominance of matches like the one that, for example, blurred Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal, which arrived as one of the favorites.

But it would be imprecise not to note that more was expected of them.

A priori secondary actors such as attacker Jhon Arias, defender Daniel Muñoz and goalkeeper Camilo Vargas supported the team several times in moments of traffic jam.

But this is a World Cup and you need the best of the best.

If not, ask France, England, Norway or Argentina, who thanks to the prolific scoring production of stars like Mbappé, Kane, Haaland and Messi managed to get into the quarterfinals despite several difficulties.

What Colombia can keep

Now it is not a question of going kamikaze, but it does open a reflection. There are positive notes. Also questions.

After failing to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Lorenzo took the team and turned it into one of the best teams in South America.

In recent years, for example, it has displaced historic teams such as Uruguay and Brazil in terms of play, possibly, and in results, of course.

Colombia qualified for the World Cup ahead of both in the South American qualifiers and reached the final of the last Copa América, losing the final against Argentina on penalties in 2024.

Lorenzo has created a solid, disciplined and fast-paced team, although it has lacked that extra bit of a champion. This Tuesday they were not seen with the comfort of the rest of the tournament.

The nervousness that I saw in many Colombian fans before the game was detected among the players, who seemed less precise and reliable against Switzerland.

They lacked that nerve that fans like so much.

Finally, Colombia is one of the oldest teams in this World Cup. For several players, like James Rodríguez, who is 34 years old and has not played in the elite clubs, this looks like the end of the cycle.

There is a base, but also work and renewal before the definitive leap and corresponding to a fan that increasingly believes in its own.