Jhon Duran was left off Colombia’s World Cup team after a big decision was made.
Jhon Duran won’t be part of Colombia’s squad for the 2026 World Cup, even though he was included in coach Nestor Lorenzo’s initial 55-man list. The 22-year-old striker has played 17 times for Colombia. Right now, he’s on loan at Zenit Saint Petersburg from Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, but he’s had a tough time this season.
Duran scored just one goal in six league games with Zenit and recently took a break from the team for personal reasons. Zenit released a short statement saying, “The club and Jhon have agreed on a leave of absence due to personal circumstances. We’ll share more about his return soon.” The exact reason for his break hasn’t been made clear.
Earlier this season, Duran was loaned to Fenerbahce in Turkey, where he dealt with osteoarthritis and had a disagreement with then-manager Jose Mourinho after showing up late to pre-season training in Portugal. Mourinho said, “It’s disrespectful. We have clear rules here, and those who don’t follow them will face consequences. We’ll talk to him if he shows up.”
Despite these challenges, Duran was named in Colombia’s preliminary squad by head coach Nestor Lorenzo. Marca reported that Duran wanted to use the training camp in Medellin to prove he deserved a spot in the final team. But the report also says he trained separately from the main group because of a “rift” that goes beyond just football.
Marca added, “Nestor Lorenzo has made tough decisions in Medellin, showing a difficult relationship with one of Colombia’s most talented but also most controversial young players, Jhon Jader Durán.” It explains that with Lorenzo’s strict discipline, a player training alone while the main team is nearby is seen as being out of sync with the team’s goals.
In the final squad announced on Monday, Duran’s name was left off, while stars like James Rodriguez, Luis Diaz, and Richard Rios made the cut.
The squad includes:
**Goalkeepers:** Camilo Vargas (Atlas), Alvaro Montero (Velez Sarsfield), David Ospina (Atletico Nacional)
**Defenders:** Davinson Sanchez (Galatasaray), Jhon Lucumi (Bologna), Yerry Mina (Cagliari), Willer Ditta (Cruz Azul), Daniel Munoz (Crystal Palace), Santiago Arias (Independiente), Johan Mojica (Mallorca), Deiver Machado (Nantes)
**Midfielders:** Richard Rios (Benfica), Jefferson Lerma (Crystal Palace), Kevin Castano (River Plate), Juan Camilo Portilla (Athletico Paranaense), Gustavo Puerta (Racing de Santander), Jhon Arias (Palmeiras), Jorge Carrascal (Flamengo), Juan Fernando Quintero (River Plate), James Rodriguez (Minnesota United), Jaminton Campaz (Rosario Central)
**Forwards:** Juan Camilo Hernandez (Real Betis), Luis Diaz (Bayern Munich), Luis Suarez (Sporting), Carlos Andres Gomez (Vasco da Gama), Jhon Cordoba (Krasnodar)