Colombia National Team: Lerma, the most constant of the half for the friendlies against New Zealand and Australia
It is a silent, but vital job. Jefferson Lerma He continues to be the thermometer of the Colombian midfield, the player who balances and sustains the game in the most sensitive area of the field. There is no other like it. Each call for the selection reopens the same debate: Who can replace him? And the answer remains the same: no one.
At 31 years old, the Crystal Palace midfielder has a solid presence in the Premier League. He began the season in an irregular manner, but once again established himself in Oliver Glasner’s starting eleven. In the last three games of the English club he has played 90 minutes, providing order and even assists for his teammates in attack. He is, today, the most consistent Colombian midfielder in the European elite, and that is why Néstor Lorenzo keeps him as a fixed piece in the structure of the national team.
Colombia will face two friendlies in the next few days: against New Zealand (Saturday, November 15, 7:00 pm) and against Australia (Tuesday, November 18, 8:00 pm), duels that will serve to test variants in the midfield and give minutes to players under observation.
Gustavo Puerta appears on that list, who was called up again by Lorenzo and could have minutes in one of the two games. In theory, Puerta is the footballer who most closely resembles Lerma’s style: dynamic, with a good first pass and route. However, he still lacks experience to assume that balancing role that the Palace player executes so naturally.
Ríos and Castaño, the contrasts
Behind Lerma, The reality is different for his zone colleagues. Richard Ríos and Kevin Castaño arrive at the National Team at opposite times to the Premier League midfielder.
Ríos, who has played 1,723 minutes in 21 official matches with Benfica, has continuity, but not the expected performance. Although José Mourinho has publicly supported him and Rui Costa himself, the club’s president, asked for patience, the Colombian is going through a gray period in his game. In Portugal they highlight their effort and deployment, but they also recognize that they have lost clarity in delivery and precision in output.. Nine yellow cards this season reflect that excess momentum is costing him more than usual.
Kevin Castaño is also experiencing difficult days at River Plate. The former Águilas Doradas player has played 2,884 minutes in 37 games during 2025, but his performance has been irregular. He was a starter for a good part of the year, however, His participation has been criticized by the Argentine press due to the lack of prominence in a team that does not find stability.. River, far from the level expected in the Clausura, has also dragged it into that collective downturn. Castaño tries to maintain himself as a containment alternative, but from Argentina they point out that he lacks weight in duels and presence in the first pass.
Lerma, the midfield boss
Meanwhile, Lerma continues to lead the way. His unadorned football, his tactical reading and his ability to correct other people’s mistakes keep him the most reliable midfielder in the National Team. In England he is valued for his perseverance and in Colombia for his silent leadership. In an area where no one can come close to his level, Lerma continues to be the natural balance of Lorenzo’s team, the one who turns intensity into order and fight into control.
