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Cape Town - Colombia's 23 player World Cup squad announced by coach Jose Pekerman with injured Monaco striker Radamel Falcao the main absentee.
According to the National, the 28 year old Monaco forward said that as he lacks match fitness and the smartest thing to do is to stay on the sidelines.
Falcao, who had hoped to play in Brazil, will still travel to Brazil to cheer on his teammates.
Falcao scored nine goals in the South American qualifiers paved the way for Colombia’s return to the World Cup for the first time since 1998.
In Falcao's absence, Colombia will rely on Portugal-based star Jackson Martinez to lead the line and Falcao's Monaco teammate James Rodriquez to chip in with a few goals from midfield.
Colombia are drawn in Group C in Brazil with Ivory Coast, Greece and Japan.
Colombia's 2014 Soccer World Cup squad:
Goalkeepers:
David Ospina (Nice), Faryd Mondragon (Deportivo Cali), Camilo Vargas (Santa Fe)
Defenders:
Pablo Armero (West Ham/ENG), Camilo Zuniga (Napoli/ITA), Cristian Zapata (AC Milan/ITA), Eder Alvarez Balanta (River Plate/ARG), Mario Alberto Yepes (Atalanta/ITA), Carlos Valds (San Lorenzo/ARG)
Midfielders:
Abel Aguilar (Toulouse/FRA), Fredy Guarin (Inter Milan/ITA), Juan Guillermo Cuadrado (Fiorentina/ITA), James Rodriguez (Monaco/FRA), Aldo Leao Ramirez (Morelia/MEX), Carlos Sanchez (Elche/ESP), Santiago Arias (PSV Eindhoven/NED), Alexander Mejia (Atletico Nacional), Juan Fernando Quintero (Porto/POR)
Forwards:
Jackson Martinez (Porto/POR), Carlos Bacca (Seville/ESP), Teofilo Gutierrez (River Plate/ARG), Adrian Ramos (Hertha Berlin/GER), Vctor Ibarbo (Cagliari/ITA)
