Roque Santa Cruz Praises Colombia's Luis Javier Suárez Ahead of World Cup Debut

As Colombia prepares for its opening match in the 2026 North America World Cup, veteran Paraguayan striker Roque Santa Cruz has singled out Colombian forward Luis Javier Suárez as one of the top attacking talents in South America. Speaking during a Conmebol-organized event, Santa Cruz placed Suárez among his four best attackers from the region, ranking him above players such as Uruguay's Darwin Núñez, Brazil's Matheus Cunha, and Paraguay's own Igor Thiago.

Santa Cruz, who played in three World Cups (2002, 2006, 2010) and now plays for Club Nacional at age 44, selected an ideal attacking quartet of Suárez, Ecuador's Enner Valencia, Argentina's Julián Álvarez, and Argentina's Lautaro Martínez. The praise came just hours before Colombia's World Cup debut against Uzbekistan at Mexico City's stadium on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.

Suárez, 28, enters the tournament as one of 17 debutants for Colombia. Born in Santa Marta, the Sporting Lisbon striker had an outstanding season in Portugal, finishing as the league's top scorer with 28 goals and totaling 38 across all competitions. He is the starting center forward for coach Néstor Lorenzo, ahead of options like Cucho Hernández and Jhon Córdoba.

Focusing on the team's collective effort, Suárez said: "Beyond thinking individually, we must think as a group. The 26 players plus the coaching staff have a great responsibility to unite an entire country." He emphasized that Colombia does not consider themselves favorites against Uzbekistan, noting that experienced players help calm newcomers. "Those who have played one or two World Cups give us calmness," he said.

Suárez also praised teammates Luis Díaz and James Rodríguez as players capable of "destabilizing the opponent at any moment." Regarding Uzbekistan, he noted their defensive approach with five at the back, requiring patience and intelligent movement. "There is no favoritism anywhere," he warned. "We are in a World Cup and we have the huge responsibility to compete against any rival."