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June 22, 2024

Can Colombia’s James Rodríguez silence his critics at Copa América? – Brazilian Serie A

Credits to Brazilian Serie A Image Gallery

Before Colombia’s warm-up match against Bolivia for the Copa América, a special ceremony was held to celebrate James Rodríguez’s 100th appearance for the national team. Following the tribute, he took to the field and showcased his playmaking abilities as Colombia secured a comfortable 3-0 victory.

At his current pace, it will take Rodríguez a significant amount of time to reach the 100-game milestone with his club. He has been with São Paulo in Brazil for 11 months and featured in just over 20 matches. He has played a mere 10 minutes in the past two months alone, rendering him forgotten mainly at his club. However, he continues to be a crucial player for the Colombian national team, enjoying a long unbeaten streak. This stark contrast embodies the duality of his situation—Dr. Jekyll and Mr. James.

A decade ago, when he signed with Real Madrid following an impressive breakout performance at the World Cup, Rodríguez seemed to have the world at his feet. Champions League matches were expected to be his domain, where the talented left-footed Colombian could assert his influence. Instead, he became an afterthought as Madrid celebrated another Champions League victory. 

His absence was particularly noticeable during the semifinals against Bayern Munich, where two of his former clubs clashed. He found himself sidelined and unwanted in Brazil. Although he is one of the highest-paid players at São Paulo, second only to Lucas Moura, his contributions have been minimal.

Three coaches have tried to unravel the riddle. Club president Julio Casares recently commented that  “it doesn’t appear that James Rodríguez figures in the plans of our coach.” And with the team clocking up a sequence of victories in his absence, his exclusion has not been even slightly controversial.

Brazil marks the tenth country in which James Rodríguez has played professional football. His early career saw him rise through five clubs, starting with the small club Envigado in Colombia, then winning a rare league title with Banfield in Argentina, achieving success with Porto, followed by a stint at Monaco, before finally landing at Real Madrid. However, his subsequent five club experiences have felt like a disappointing global tour. During his time in Germany with Bayern Munich, England at Everton, Qatar with Al Rayyan, and Greece at Olympiakos, there were glimpses of brilliance, but challenges often overshadowed these.

Brazil is Still waiting for the Flashes of Brilliance

Persistent injuries have undeniably played a significant role in his narrative. He has been sidelined for extended periods

at numerous clubs throughout his career, impacting his performance. However, there is more to his struggles than just physical setbacks. Former Liverpool and Republic of Ireland international Ray Houghton may have identified a key issue during Rodríguez’s triumph while negotiating with Real Madrid in 2014. 

Houghton suggested that Rodríguez was not sufficiently quick, lacking that crucial half-yard of speed needed to shine in a Real Madrid squad dominated by Cristiano Ronaldo. This insight proved to be remarkably accurate. Rodríguez struggled to assert himself as the team’s focal point and gradually found his significance diminishing within the squad.

During his six seasons at Madrid, he consistently played fewer matches each year, ultimately accumulating a modest tally of 37 goals in 125 appearances for the club. When Gareth Bale, who scored 106 goals in 258 games, is deemed to have fallen short of expectations, one must question what that means for Rodríguez. 

Has his attitude always been correct? There have certainly been complaints at Sao Paulo. TV Gazeta journalist Jose Pais said that club insiders had told him that “at times there appears to be a lack of commitment on the part of James Rodríguez. … Sometimes in physical training sessions the others are doing four or five sprints and he is only doing one.”

And back in March, Sao Paulo were knocked out of the local state championship on a penalty shootout. Rodríguez was playing that night but did not step up to take a penalty. This, said Jose Pais, “bothered some of the other players.” It may have been the moment when it became hard to see a future for him at the club.

São Paulo granted Rodríguez an early departure to join the Colombian national team as they prepare for the Copa América. There is a shared hope among all parties that he will secure a new club—he has expressed a desire to return to Spain—and that he will not have to return to Brazil after the tournament. While he is no longer essential to São Paulo’s plans, the 32-year-old remains a crucial figure for Colombia, although this relationship has not been without its challenges.

Rodríguez solidified his status as the national team’s most vital player during the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, and he emerged as a star during the tournament in Brazil. Four years later, he delivered a stunning performance in Colombia’s 3-0 victory over Poland, showcasing one of the tournament’s best displays. Unfortunately, that was the only match he was fit for during the World Cup in Russia. England eliminated Colombia in the second round without him, and they have not participated in a World Cup match since.

Their failure to qualify for the Qatar World Cup was remarkable, as a talented squad went seven consecutive games without scoring a single goal. Rodríguez was part of the problem; he had a falling out with former Colombia coach Reinaldo Rueda, was dropped from the squad, and then recalled for the final four matches of that goalless streak, yet his presence did not improve the situation.

Rumors of discord within the dressing room circulated during that time. However, months later, Rueda took the opportunity to commend Rodríguez for his contributions, referring to him as “an excellent person and a great professional, competitive and demanding of himself, a great leader who makes himself popular.”

Rueda was succeeded by Argentine coach Néstor Lorenzo, who, at least for the time being, has been more effective than his predecessors in transforming Rodríguez’s undeniable potential into tangible results. Team psychologist Marcelo Roffe believes that part of the issue stemmed from the player being”misinterpreted in some of his declarations.” In reality, he told the El Colombiano newspaper, “James is extraordinarily down to earth. Thanks to Nestor Lorenzo he is happy again in the national team, and so he is making the fans happy again.”

The answer may lie more in tactics than in psychology. His selection for the March friendlies against Spain and Romania came as a surprise to many. His former midfield teammate from 2014, Alexander Mejía, expressed his disapproval, stating,”I wouldn’t have called him up,” he told Win Sports. “He hasn’t been playing regularly for Sao Paulo and there are other players who have been waiting for a chance.”

In the second half against Spain and throughout the match against Romania, Rodríguez demonstrated his ability to contribute something extraordinary. On both occasions, he was exceptional, orchestrating the play from deep positions and providing a long-range supply line for Liverpool winger Luis Díaz. 

This might be the key to NéstorLorenzo’ss strategy. In a generally well-structured team, Rodríguez can roam and locate pockets of space where he can inflict maximum impact. This often results in him dropping deeper than before, allowing him to find more room to operate while ensuring he does not interfere with the space Díaz needs to attack opposing defenses. When both players are at their best, they can function as a cohesive unit, with Rodríguez delivering precise passes for Díaz to capitalize on.

Diaz has no doubt about the esteem in which he holds his teammate. Rodríguez, he says, “is the idol of the idols. I respect him and admire him a lot.” Supporters of some of Rodríguez’s recent clubs might struggle to agree — and maybe the Copa América will force them to change their minds.

For Rodríguez, this tournament is significant. He will celebrate his 33rd birthday just two days before the final, underscoring his limited time at the pinnacle of his career. Therefore, this Copa América represents an opportunity for him to assert his value as a player and attract a club willing to sign him once the tournament concludes.

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