

Posted by

Steve Bottjer ,

July 11, 2014 Email

Steve Bottjer

On Twitter:

@BottjerRNO

While Germany and Argentina will face off for football’s ultimate prize on Sunday in the 2014 World Cup final, one of the teams that greatly impressed many people with their performances and their passion and spirit during the tournament was Colombia.



As a Canadian of Colombian descent, Toronto-born TFC midfielder Jonathan Osorio is just one of many people who have been buoyed by the run of a South American side that was missing arguably its best player (Falcao) but that still managed to make it to the quarterfinals of the tournament while playing an especially attractive brand of football.



“They are a big inspiration to me,” Osorio recently told RedNation. “I am Canadian but I grew up and was raised by two Colombian parents, so I obviously will always have a soft spot for the Colombian team.”



“What they did in the World Cup was amazing. Unfortunately, they had to play the hosts in the quarterfinal and it was a difficult game,” Osorio added. “However, they fought to the final minute and I tried to show that same quality on the field (last Saturday against D.C. United) when I came on with a lot of energy. Part of that absolutely comes from them.”



While Colombia ultimately fell to the country that has won the World Cup a record five times, the side led by prodigiously talented midfielder James Rodríguez did both themselves and their country proud. As much as the beautiful goals by Rodríguez and fantastic saves by keeper David Ospina delighted football lovers from all over the world over the course of their run in Brazil, in many ways, the most inspiring aspect of Colombia’s play was the squad’s passion for the game and collective belief that they could win against any team they faced off against.



With that in mind, Osorio was quick to admit that the way that the way Colombia played has not only inspired him at the club level, but also planted a seed of hope for a Canadian National Team that will soon seek to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.



“I think the world of football is changing and the rest of the world is starting to catch with the traditional big teams,” the Canadian International explained. “I think pretty soon it will be a sort of revolution, where the teams that were not that good before are going to be good in a few years.”



“Canada can look to be one of those teams to do that and we have the players to do it,” he continued. “All we need is the belief.”