Spain’s head coach, Luis de la Fuente, has named Colombia as one of the favorites to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He praised the South American team for their strong performances so far.

Before Spain’s Round of 32 match against Austria, De la Fuente praised Néstor Lorenzo’s team for their technical skill, physical strength, and attacking power.

De la Fuente said Colombia deserves to be seen as one of the top teams in the tournament, highlighting their recent win over Spain as evidence of their strength.

“They are one of only two teams that have beaten us,” De la Fuente said. “If I haven’t included them among the favorites until now, I’m doing so now. They have extremely high-level, fantastic players with outstanding physical and technical ability. You only have to look at their forward line. They are a truly great team.”

Spain’s respect for Colombia is clear, as their most recent loss was a 1-0 friendly defeat to the South Americans at London Stadium on March 22, 2024, with Daniel Muñoz scoring the only goal.

Colombia have continued their strong form in the World Cup, finishing first in Group K ahead of Portugal to reach the knockout stage.

Lorenzo’s team will now play Ghana in a much-anticipated Round of 32 match in Kansas City on Friday.

The Black Stars hope to pull off an upset against one of the tournament’s strongest teams, but De la Fuente’s comments show how tough the challenge will be.

For Ghana, this match is a chance to prove itself against a top contender. Colombia, meanwhile, will want to keep building its reputation as a real World Cup title challenger.