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Count Luis Díaz as one of the best players who has already delivered for his team this summer.
In the opening final match of the 2026 World Cup on Wednesday, Colombia’s star winger did exactly what fans expect of him, scoring a second-half go-ahead goal against Uzbekistan to help lead his team to a 3-1 victory.
Díaz arrived at the World Cup already a star (he was number 23 among FOX Sports’ top 100 players), especially after such successful seasons with Liverpool and now with Bayern Munich. I anticipated he would start the tournament full of confidence and now you see him absolutely on fire.
At the last second, I switched my pre-tournament Golden Boot pick to Kylian Mbappé’s Diaz, which I thought was bold. But I followed my instincts and the Colombian star remains my choice after the first day of each team.
He brings a lot of style and danger when attacking, but with his versatility, he will also make a defensive switch. It is simply complete and cannot be overlooked.
He is one of the most dangerous players in this World Cup and I actually think Uzbekistan didn’t do a great job limiting him. And he made the most of it.
A shot bounced off the post. But when he scored that goal against Uzbekistan in the 65th minute, he put it in, the goalkeeper deflected it and he managed to go in.
The difference between that crucial moment and a forgettable failure was a matter of centimeters. But those inches and those opportunities are where Díaz excels.
He follows the line while managing and maximizing those moments, and his positional awareness, both on and off the ball, helps him succeed.
True scoring opportunities are rare in the World Cup, but he has an eye for goal like no other. He is capable of scoring in many different ways, and that talent, combined with his speed and technical execution, can be the backbone of this Colombia team trying to advance out of Group K.
I still have concerns about Colombia’s defensive capabilities. But at least Los Cafeteros have one of the biggest scoring threats on their side.
The way Diaz can fly down the field but change direction instantly – I can’t imagine being a defender in that position because it will definitely catch you off guard.
He’s been incredibly clinical at club level and we’re now seeing that carry over to the World Cup. He obviously has a powerful shot, his precision is key and he is always capable of executing a overhead kick or overhead kick.
Diaz tries to isolate himself as much as possible, and if you let him, if you give him space, he will crush a defender at the line. And as he has proven repeatedly, he will step up when his team needs him.
When Díaz is on the field, expect the unexpected. And don’t take your eyes off him.
