Colombia's Díaz Scores Goal and Assist in World Cup Debut

Colombia defeated Uzbekistan 3-1 on Wednesday night in a World Cup match. Luis Díaz scored the go-ahead goal and added an assist in his first appearance at the tournament. Díaz, now with Bayern Munich, walked to the sideline after the match to locate his father in the stands.

The two spotted each other in a moment that followed years of separation. “A lot of things came to me from the past,” Díaz said. “I worked for this. In late 2023, Díaz’s parents were taken by armed groups at the Colombia-Venezuela border. His mother was released quickly; his father remained captive for 12 days.

Díaz missed two club matches at the time to return to Colombia and seek his father’s release. His father was freed after international attention increased pressure on authorities.

Díaz’s father posted a video of himself praying over his son’s jersey before the match. Díaz scored shortly after Uzbekistan equalized, securing Colombia’s first World Cup win since 2018. “I think there was always something that kept us from being at ease,” Díaz said. “I think that today, I am at my best.”