Jhon Lucumí has warned young players breaking into the Colombia national team not to let anyone fill their heads with pressure or rush their development. Speaking ahead of international fixtures, the central defender shared lessons from his own eight-year journey to becoming a fixture in the squad.
From 2018 Debuts to Defensive Anchor
Lucumí first arrived in the Colombia national team setup in 2018. Over the subsequent eight years, the defender built a reputation for patience and hard work that ultimately secured his status as a starting center-back. At 28 years old, and following a move to Juventus that he credits partly to his international progression, Lucumí understands the weight of wearing the national colors.
“I think it is important for me, it is very good, positive to keep improving,” Lucumí said of his club transfer. “We come in a very good process and work with the National Team that helped me take this big step. The idea is to keep maturing in the best way and what we have done these years try to help the colleagues who are arriving to continue growing and improving.”
Guiding the Next Generation
With first-time call-ups entering the senior camp—including players who left the Categoría Primera A (FPC) at an early age like Caicedo—the defender stressed the responsibility of experienced squad members. High standards remain a constant requirement within the national team framework.
“There has always been that competition and the high demand that the National Team asks for,” Lucumí noted. “With them much more, we know that they are teammates who have been doing very well, who were in the FPC and also left at a very early age… But it is up to us to help them, so that they continue to grow, adapt as quickly as possible in the National Team, and can flow with all their talent.”
His core message to newcomers centers on staying grounded:
“I spent many years in the same process, until the coach gave me the opportunity and continuity. So it is not to rush, not to rush, try to connect well with the teammate, try to make the group like them and then with their talent they will be flowing and the opportunity will arrive. It is to be prepared and everything will happen little by little, that they be calm, that they do not rush, that they do not let a lot of people fill their heads who want to come and put them in by force, because it will arrive at its moment and they must be prepared. Now they have to enjoy the process and the moment, because being in the National Team is a privilege.”
Balancing Defensive Solidity and Attack
On the pitch, Lucumí emphasized that Colombia’s tactical success stems from defensive organization designed to unleash attacking dynamism. Maintaining a clean sheet remains the primary objective for the backline.
“From behind, being able to have better communication, continuing on the same path of being a solid and secure National Team in defense, so that our talent continues to flow in the front part,” Lucumí explained. “Every match we have to improve something, our idea is to keep a clean sheet and provide security and equilibrium to then be a highly dangerous team in the front part.”
Next Checkpoint
Colombia holds its final training session on Friday morning ahead of an upcoming international friendly match against Mexico. The fixture is scheduled for Saturday, September 26, at the M&T Stadium in Baltimore, kicking off at 8:00 p.m. local Colombia time.
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