Overview
- Villa was not named to the 26-man roster and did not travel to the United States for the March friendlies against Croatia and France.
- Lorenzo said Villa appeared on a routine preliminary “blocked” list of about 50 to 60 names that lets federations secure player release but does not guarantee a call-up.
- The federation processed a U.S. visa for Villa in case he was selected, and Lorenzo said he phoned the player to explain both the initial blocking and the later omission.
- The staff cited strong competition in Villa’s role, with natural wide players already chosen, and said past legal matters were resolved and did not affect the choice.
- Lorenzo framed the European matchups as deliberate tests to raise Colombia’s level ahead of the 2026 World Cup by exposing the team to different styles and demands.