Soccer-Colombia's Sanchez: from relegation scrap to world stage

By Iain Rogers July 1 (Reuters) - Colombia midfielder Carlos Sanchez was embroiled in a relegation scrap with La Liga club Elche as recently as mid-May, helping the modest Alicante-based side cling to their top-flight status by a single point. A month and a half later and the 28-year-old from Quibdo in the tropical west of the South American nation is training hard to prepare for Friday's World Cup quarter-final against hosts Brazil at Fortaleza's Castelao arena. The combative Sanchez, known as "La Roca" (The Rock), plays in the holding midfield role, providing the stability that gives some of Colombia's more creative talents like Juan Cuadrado and James Rodriguez the freedom to perform. It comes as no surprise that Sanchez's hero growing up was former France stalwart Claude Makelele, who played in the same unheralded yet crucial position and helped Les Bleus reach the World Cup final in 2006. "I felt like a kid the day I swapped shirts with him," Sanchez told FIFA.com recently. Sanchez came through the academy run by former Colombia midfielder Alexis Garcia in Medellin before leaving for Uruguay at the age of 17 and finally ending up at French side Valenciennes in 2007. He joined Elche for the 2013-14 season, where he has impressed with his tough tackling and athleticism. The same traits have been on display in Brazil, where Colombia have reached the quarter-finals for the first time in five appearances and Sanchez won his 47th cap in the last 16 victory against Uruguay. "We are both coming into the match on winning streaks and we have no fear of Brazil," Sanchez told reporters at the team's training base in Sao Paulo on Monday. "It's more a respect, for their history, but we just have to focus on our work," he added. "If we carry on doing what we have been doing we have the weapons to beat Brazil. "We have a chance, as they do, to continue with this World Cup adventure." Sanchez won plaudits when he kept Argentina's four-times World Player of the Year Lionel Messi quiet in a 0-0 draw at the Copa America in 2011. On Friday, he will have Messi's Barcelona team mate Neymar in his sights and Colombia will need him to be at his best if they hope to eliminate the hosts and set up a semi-final clash against European heavyweights France or Germany. (Editing by Justin Palmer)