Colombia's 2026 World Cup squad showcases young talent and wide social‑media follower gaps

Colombia’s national team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup features several young stand‑outs. Midfielder Gustavo Puerta, 22, who moved from Bayer Leverkusen to Hull City and then to Racing Santander, earned his first World Cup call after 33 club appearances. Forward Carlos Andrés Gómez, 23, returned to Vasco da Gama after spells in Europe and Brazil and entered the squad with four goals and three assists this season. Midfielder Kevin Castaño, 25, now at River Plate, will make his World Cup debut after accumulating 25 caps.

A separate analysis of the squad’s social‑media presence shows James Rodríguez leading with more than 50 million Instagram followers, while defender Jhon Lucumí has the fewest, about 136 000. The full follower list ranges from Álvaro Montero’s 181 k to Luis Díaz’s 8.3 million, highlighting a stark contrast between the team’s star players and lesser‑followed members.