Luis Díaz is at the forefront of the official 26-man squad for the Colombian national team for the 2026 World Cup. The team, managed by Néstor Lorenzo, is in Group K and will begin their campaign against Uzbekistan (17 June), before facing DR Congo (23 June) and closing out the group stage against Portugal (27 June).

This will be the Colombian winger’s first World Cup appearance, as Colombia failed to qualify for Qatar 2022 after missing out on a qualifying spot in the South American qualifiers.

Luis Díaz had enjoyed a superb 2021–22 season at Liverpool and was even nominated for the Ballon d’Or for that campaign. However, he was unable to showcase his talent at that World Cup.

Ahead of this World Cup return, there is one statistic that has the whole country excited: Luis Díaz arrives at the tournament as the deadliest left winger on the planet. This stellar form is the result of a breakthrough season at Bayern Munich, where he became the most influential player in German football.

Wearing the Bavarian side’s red and blue, the Colombian recorded incredible figures throughout the year: he played 51 competitive matches, scored 26 goals and provided 19 assists. Statistics that place him firmly among Europe’s absolute elite.

‘El Guajiro’ had the best season of his entire career and was a key figure for Bayern Munich as they won the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal, and came very close to reaching the final of the 2025–26 UEFA Champions League.

That is why, in this article, we will compare Luis Díaz’s performance with that of the other left wingers competing in the World Cup and discover why he will be a beacon of hope for the Colombian people at this World Cup in North America.

The statistics don’t lie: Luis Díaz is at the top

When reviewing the output of the leading left wingers selected for the World Cup, the Colombian international stands out by a clear margin in the statistical analysis.

Among this list of players, Luis Díaz leads the statistics in both goals scored and assists provided.

None of the other left wingers selected for the tournament has surpassed the 26 goals or 19 assists accumulated by the forward whilst wearing the Bayern Munich shirt.

This will be Luis Díaz’s tactical role in the Colombian national team

In the Colombian national team’s formation, Luis Díaz will play a key role in the attack. His main task will be to exploit the space down the left flank to link up with the creative midfielder James Rodríguez and feed the ball directly to centre-forward Luis Suárez.

This attacking circuit aims to replicate the dynamic link-up play that the winger has already mastered in European football. Manager Néstor Lorenzo understands perfectly well that he must adapt his starting XI to the footballing needs of his lethal weapon: Luis Díaz.

Drawing a parallel with Bayern Munich, the tactical roles within the Colombian national team have clear equivalents. In this formation, striker Luis Suárez will have a finishing role similar to that of Harry Kane in Germany.

On the other flank, Jhon Arias will fulfil the role of a creative winger and playmaker on the right, emulating the work done by Michael Olise at the Bavarian club.

James Rodríguez, the ever-creative force of the Colombian national team, will play a role similar to that of Jamal Musiala, who is precisely the one trying to find gaps in the opposition defence so that Díaz can cause havoc with his pace and talent.

Under this structure, the coaching staff aim to maximise Díaz’s strengths within a tactical framework that is familiar to him. If the team as a whole can adapt and bring fluidity to these movements, Colombia will have solid attacking options to build on for the World Cup.

Colombia’s 26-man squad for the World Cup:

Goalkeepers

– Álvaro Montero (Vélez Sarsfield)
– Camilo Vargas (Atlas)
– David Ospina (Atlético Nacional)

Defenders

– Daniel Muñoz (Crystal Palace)
– Santiago Arias (Independiente)
– Dávinson Sánchez (Galatasaray)
– Jhon Lucumí (Bologna)
– Yerry Mina (Cagliari)
– Willer Ditta (Cruz Azul)
– Déiver Machado (FC Nantes) Johan Mojica (Mallorca)

Midfielders

– Gustavo Puerta (Racing de Santander)
– James Rodríguez (Minnesota United) –
Jefferson Lerma (Crystal Palace)
– Jhon Arias (Palmeiras)
– Jorge Carrascal (Flamengo)
– Juan Fernando Quintero (River Plate)
– Richard Ríos (Benfica)
– Kevin Castaño (River Plate)
– Jaminton Campaz (Rosario Central)
– Juan Portilla (Paranaense)

Forwards-

Luis Diaz (Bayern Munich)
- Luis Suárez (Sporting Lisbon)
- Jhon Córdoba (Krasnodar)
- Carlos Gómez (Vasco da Gama)
- Juan Camilo Hernández (Real Betis)