Colombian midfielder James Rodriguez (10) is replaced by Juan Fernando Quintero (20) during the World Cup group stage match against Portugal on Saturday, June 27, 2026, in Miami, Florida. (AP Photo/Lynn Sladky)
Lynn Sladky/AP Photo/Lynn Sladky
Colombian midfielder Juan Quintero answers questions from the media before World Cup training on Friday, June 26, 2026, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Rebecca Blackwell/AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell
VANCOUVER, Canada (AP) — Juan Fernando Quintero doesn’t play much but is a big contributor for Colombia. And it creates a lot of affection in the process.
A regular disruptor for the Nestor Lorenzo-led side, the attacking midfielder made his mark in the 18 minutes he played in the recent 1-0 win over Ghana, a match that took the coffee producers into the last 16 of the World Cup.
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Quintero accumulated two shots and also had a perfect assist and two rebounds. Those 18 minutes were all it took to compile his performance last Friday in Kansas City, which went viral on social media.
Colombian fans cheered his name and are sure to do so again on Tuesday when they face Switzerland for a place in the quarter-finals.
In the shadow of James Rodriguez, another Colombian creator, Quintero’s talent is something that no one doubts thanks to his technique and vision of the game.
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The career of 33-year-old Juanfer, now a player for Argentine side River Plate, has always been accompanied by the burden of not being able to establish himself in the starting lineup. And his European career, mainly at Porto, did not reach a significant level.
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This is his third World Cup with Colombia. He scored at the 2014 tournament in Brazil, where he scored his first World Cup goal against Ivory Coast in the first round to help the team reach a historic quarter-final berth. He also scored against Japan at the 2018 Russian Championship, becoming the first Colombian to score in two World Cups.
It is clear that Lorenzo values him highly for his team, seeing him as an ideal replacement for James, who at 34 no longer has the physical strength to play the full 90 minutes.
“He is a player who is very precise in that part of the field (the final third), with precise passes, free kicks and set-pieces,” Lorenzo said after a 1-0 group stage win over Congo, sealed by a goal from Daniel Muñoz. “He did his job and did it very well. The goal was also scored thanks to his pass.”
“Both he and James are two great players in that third of the field who can filter passes or score goals,” he added.
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After being left on the bench in the debut win over Uzbekistan, Quintero came on as a substitute in the next three games: James against Congo and Portugal and Santiago Arias against Ghana to open the knockout round.
These matches were played in two cities in Mexico and two others in the United States.
This Tuesday, Cafeteros will play in Canada, the third host country of the World Cup. They will jump onto the grass at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver.
We knew this would happen, the fact that the World Cup was held in three countries, on a huge continent, could be someone else’s turn. Accept it, try to deal with it every day and get the maximum benefit.”
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Colombians are already accustomed to tedious travel across three North American countries.
“Obviously we have to travel so much, but we knew what we were up against,” said striker Luis Suarez. “We did mental work because these things, in addition to the physical, are mentally draining.”
Columbia arrived with a flu outbreak that had affected the entire group, including James, in recent days.
“Of course, traveling is not good: climate change, time zones, playing at altitude, humidity, dry terrain. We are a little susceptible to these changes,” admitted Lorenzo.
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Both Colombia and Switzerland are looking to clear their respective barriers at the World Championships.
The Swiss have not reached the quarter-finals since they hosted the tournament in 1954. And Colombia want to do it again, 12 years after their only appearance, losing to hosts Brazil in a match still remembered for Camilo Zúñiga’s foul on Neymar, which sent the Brazilian star out of the tournament.
“You need to have tactical discipline, they defend and attack well. They have systematized many game actions over many years,” Lorenzo warned about the Swiss. “The coach has been here for five years and he has done very well.”
Under the leadership of Murat Yakin, the Swiss’ most dangerous cards are playmaker Johan Manzambi and striker Brill Embolo, who scored three and two goals respectively.
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“This will probably be our toughest game,” Yakin said. “They have players in all positions that can make a difference.”
Yaquin is also coming to terms with the fact that the stadium will be taken over by Colombian fans who have taken over every square his team played on.
“This is the third time we’ve played in Vancouver and won two games despite the opponent’s great fans,” Yakin said. “There are also a lot of Colombian fans, but we showed that we can cope with them.”
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See more AP World Cup coverage here.