Colombia face Mexico with a notably rotated starting lineup, missing James Rodríguez and Luis Díaz, for the friendly that marks Rafael Márquez's debut as Mexico's head coach. The match takes place this Saturday, September 26 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, kicking off at 8 p.m. Bogotá time.
Colombia's manager, Néstor Lorenzo, has opted for significant rotation in his starting eleven. In goal will be Álvaro Montero, protected by a defense of Álvaro Angulo, Davinson Sánchez, Jhon Lucumí and Daniel Muñoz. The midfield is composed of Gustavo Puerta, Kevin Castaño and Richard Ríos, while the attack will be led by Jhon Arias, Luis Suárez and Carlos Andrés Gómez.
This will be the first time Colombia have faced Mexico since a 4-0 friendly win in October 2025. The current context, however, is different. Their most recent result was a 1-1 draw against Mexico just days ago, on September 27.
Márquez's New Mexico
On the Mexican side, Rafael Márquez begins his tenure as national team boss with a squad also showing new faces. "Mexico is entering a new era, with Rafa Márquez taking the helm of the national team," the coach said. His eleven includes Raúl Rangel in goal, a defense with Jorge Sánchez, Johan Vásquez, Israel Reyes and Jesús Gallardo, and a midfield of Erik Lira, Gilberto Mora and Luis Chávez. The attack is formed by Armando González, Hirving Lozano and Roberto Alvarado.
Full-back Jesús Gallardo and winger Hirving Lozano were teammates of Márquez at the 2018 World Cup. The Mexican manager has had to do without defender César Montes, who missed the match through injury.
Colombia approach this match focused on continuing their positive form. The team remains unbeaten in their last five outings, with two wins and three draws. After this friendly, the Colombian national team will return to competitive action on October 3, when they host Paraguay in World Cup qualifying. Fans can check the full schedule for the Colombia national team on our fixtures page and review the updated squad list on squad.
Background and full detail: yardbarker.com
