The Atalanta player appears to have recovered from his injury, but he was also absent from the Colombian national team that finished as runners-up in the 2024 Copa América after losing the final to Argentina.

Juan Cuadrado will not play for Colombia against Peru due to a decision for physical preservation by coach Néstor Lorenzo. Although he was part of the Colombian squad last year, the midfielder has struggled this season with a chronic Achilles tendon injury.

The ailment affected his availability and consideration, leading the Argentine coach to, for now, decide to leave him out. “It wasn’t the season I hoped for, but I have to face this with maturity,” Cuadrado said.

Cuadrado was on the bench for the first time this season in Atalanta’s 0-4 loss to Inter Milan on August 30. The former Juventus is expected to gradually recover fully and get back on the radar of the Colombian national team.

When was Cuadrado’s last match with the Colombia national team?

Juan Cuadrado’s last match with the Colombia national team was a year ago, during the first matchday of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in September 2023.

The 36-year-old midfielder played 45 minutes in that 1-0 victory against Venezuela in Barranquilla. He has not been called up since.

Juan Guillermo Cuadrado, one of Colombia’s most successful players, is notably absent from this crucial match. The Inter Milan winger ranks second in all-time appearances for the Colombian national team behind goalkeeper David Ospina.

Despite his important contribution to the team over the years, Argentine coach Nestor Lorenzo will not be able to count on the experienced winger for the Copa America final, who had a tough season with Inter Milan.

Juan Guillermo Cuadrado out of the final against Argentina

Cuadrado’s absence against Argentina is due to an Achilles tendon injury sustained at the end of 2023. This injury severely impacted his season with Inter Milan, limiting him to just 12 appearances. The injury has sidelined him for much of the year, preventing him from participating in the Copa America 2024.

Following his omission from the squad, the 36-year-old veteran shared his thoughts on social media:

“It was not the expected season. But this profession has these things and you have to assume them with maturity. I am learning to see the good in the midst of difficulty, pain is also part of life and if we face it with the right attitude it helps us to grow. I have great expectations for what is to come, I still have a lot to give.”

Despite his absence, Cuadrado’s words reflect his determination and positive outlook as he recovers and looks forward to contributing to his team in the future. Colombia will miss his experience and skill, but they remain focused on securing their second Copa America title.

Juan Guillermo Cuadrado has emerged as a standout Colombian footballer over the past decade, particularly excelling in Serie A throughout his extensive professional career, notably with Juventus, where he amassed over 200 appearances.

His contributions extended to the international stage, with a notable highlight being his pivotal role in Colombia’s impressive quarterfinal run at Brazil 2014, where he stood out as one of the tournament’s top assist leaders alongside Tony Kroos. While Cuadrado’s experience promises to be invaluable in the upcoming semifinals, it’s worth noting he won’t feature against Uruguay.

Juan Guillermo Cuadrado out against Uruguay

Juan Guillermo Cuadrado‘s absence will be keenly felt as Colombia prepare for a crucial clash against Uruguay in their quest for the 2024 Copa America final. Despite his seasoned prowess, Cuadrado, sidelined since a late 2023 Achilles tendon injury while playing for Inter Milan, will not grace the field in this pivotal match nor any potential final.

The Colombian coach had no choice but to omit him from the Copa America squad due to his ongoing recovery, a decision that underscores the significant impact of his absence on Colombia’s lineup. This unfortunate setback has ruled him out for the remainder of the season, leading to his exclusion from the Copa America.

Undoubtedly Juan Guillermo Cuadrado is one of the best players in the history of Colombia, the Inter Milan winger is the second most capped player in the Colombian national team behind the emblematic goalkeeper David Ospina.

Despite his significant contribution to the team over the years, Argentine coach Nestor Lorenzo must navigate this tournament without the experienced winger, who had a challenging season with Inter Milan.

Juan Guillermo Cuadrado out of the quarter-final match against Panama

The reason for Cuadrado’s absence against Panama is due to an achilles tendon injury sustained at the end of 2023, which sidelined him for much of the season with Inter Milan. The injury limited him to just 12 appearances this season.

Following his omission from the squad, the 36-year-old shared his thoughts on social media:

“It was not the expected season. But this profession has these things and you have to assume them with maturity. I am learning to see the good in the midst of difficulty, pain is also part of life and if we face it with the right attitude it helps us to grow. I have great expectations for what is to come, I still have a lot to give.”

As Colombia aims for Copa America glory, they will have to do so without one of their most seasoned and influential players.

In order to achieve this goal, Colombia will be without one of their biggest stars for this tournament, Juan Guillermo Cuadrado. The Inter Milan midfielder is the second most capped player in the Colombian national team behind the iconic goalkeeper David Ospina.

Argentine coach Nestor Lorenzo will not be able to count on the former Juventus player, who did not have the desired season at Inter this year. Many people may wonder why he is not on the list.

Juan Guillermo Cuadrado out of Copa America 2024

The reason why Juan Guillermo Cuadrado is not going to be with the Colombian national squad is because he suffered an achilles tendon injury at the end of 2023 that sidelined him for the current season with Inter Milan. In the entire season, the midfielder managed to play only 12 games.

After being left out of the call-up, the 36-year-old posted a message on his social networks:

“It was not the expected season. But this profession has these things and you have to assume them with maturity. I am learning to see the good in the midst of difficulty, pain is also part of life and if we face it with the right attitude it helps us to grow. I have great expectations for what is to come, I still have a lot to give”.

Unfortunately, the team legend suffered a dislocated shoulder while playing for Italian side Internazionale in their crucial clash vs. Fiorentina, according to an announcement made by the Nerazzuri.

The Colombian veteran left the game early in the second half against Cagliari, following a clash with Nadja Nainggolan. Then, further examination determined that he had endured a second-degree dislocation in his shoulder, thus ruling him out for at least three weeks.

That’s why it wasn’t a surprise to see that the former Juventus star is set to miss the must-win matches vs. Brazil and Paraguay, which is obviously a huge blow to their aspirations.

Following his stint as a perennial starter under Jose Nestor Pekerman, Cuadrado had gotten a lesser role over the past couple of years, mostly because of his age. Even so, he was usually the first substitute off the bench when that was the case.

Colombia Preview

The Colombian National Team will face its toughest task yet. They’re set to host Brazil, a team that’s looking to make a statement after failing to be as dominant as usual in this edition of the CONMEBOL FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

To date, Lozano’s team sits at the fifth spot in the table, trailing neighbor nation Venezuela by one point. They beat Venezuela 1-0 in the first match of the tournament, followed by a 0-0 draw with Chile, a 2-2 draw with Uruguay, and a 0-0 draw with Ecuador.

Brazil, on the other hand, is currently sitting at the third spot in the CONMEBOL FIFA World Cup qualifiers. They thrashed Bolivia 5-1 in their first matchup, followed by a narrow 1-0 win over Peru. Then, they couldn’t get past a 1-1 draw with Venezuela, and then lost 2-0 to Uruguay.

Needless to say, the Brazilians will look to make a statement and bounce back in a big way, even though they won’t have superstar striker Neymar on the pitch, as he suffered yet another major injury.

Then, the Colombians will hit the road to face an up-and-coming, promising, yet inexperienced Paraguayan side. The Albirrojos currently sit in the seventh spot of the table with four points after winning one game with one draw and two losses.

Led by Newcastle star Miguel Almirón, the Paraguayans weren’t able to get past a 0-0 draw to Peru, followed by a heartbreaking 0-1 loss to Venezuela. Then, they held on against Argentina but still lost 0-1. They bounced back in a big way to beat Bolivia 1-0, and they’ll face Chile on the road before their matchup vs. Colombia.

The CONMEBOL FIFA World Cup qualifiers are perhaps the toughest on Earth, and these two matches will be the last all teams play in 2023, so they need to make sure to finish the first leg on a high note. Of course, not having a veteran leader like Cuadrado will make it tough, but the Cafeteros have more than enough talent in their ranks to keep the ship afloat.