James rodríguez

James Rodriguez’s pass to lớn send Juan Cuadrado through on goal for Colombia’s third goal was so beautiful và profound that not finishing it would have counted as an act of iconoclasm.

Rodriguez had attracted the attention of Poland’s defense so much while dribbling down the left side of the field that he was covered by three defenders, with Poland’s last defender also watching him. When he made the pass, even the fullback that was responsible for Cuadrado on the opposite side was caught by surprise.

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#MundialTelemundo ¡Ya es goleada con aroma a café!
Cuadrado aumenta la ventaja para su #COL ante #POL tras una gran asistencia de
jamesdrodriguez pic.twitter.com/OnZo0cgO0q

— Telemundo Deportes (
TelemundoSports) June 24, 2018

The pass itself, under pressure and with so much power that Rodriguez almost lost his balance afterwards, found Cuadrado in stride as if it had been guided by fate rather than the left foot of Rodriguez.

The only unfortunate thing about the pass khổng lồ Cuadrado was that it eclipsed Rodriguez’s pass to Yerry Mina for Colombia’s first goal — a delightful curling cpu that forced the goalkeeper out và set Mina up for a simple header a few years away from the goal.

#MundialTelemundo Así lo narró ️

Xem thêm: Review Sách Kinh Tế Học Hài Hước Tác Giả Steven D, Siêu Kinh Tế Học Hài Hước

AndresCantorGOL : ¡Llega el primero de #COL! Un bonito centro de
jamesdrodriguez que hace que Yerry Mina se eleve para rematar de cabeza #POL 0-1 #COL pic.twitter.com/Gw8NKw7UmS

— Telemundo Deportes (
TelemundoSports) June 24, 2018

As soon as the trò chơi started, it was obvious that Poland wanted it khổng lồ be a fight rather than a competition of skills. Poland were the less talented team, dependent on the abilities of one striker — Robert Lewandowski — and needed the game to become nothing more than a physical contest in order to lớn have some success. For most of the game, it was.

Colombia aren’t a team that can be easily pushed around. They responded to Poland’s aggression with their own, và both teams spent most of the first half tugging at each other, writhing on the ground from hard tackles and appealing to the referee for fouls that they felt should have been called. That is, until the 40th minute when Rodriguez, put the ball in for Mina lớn finish.

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Rodriguez is a difference maker. Whether through scoring or assisting, he finds a way to lớn be critical for Colombia. The best thing about him is that he will bởi vì so even when there doesn’t seem lớn be a reasonable route to score or make a pass. He’s in the class of players that’s so talented they’re often described as “magical,” because they’re capable of doing things that other professionals — other great players, even — aren’t capable of doing. The number of players who have both the ability and audacity to lớn try the pass that James played to Mina is small. Even smaller is the number of individuals who could find Cuadrado with a pass of the perfect weight under the pressure that Rodriguez was under.

In 2014, Colombia were one of the most fun stories of the World Cup, & a big reason for it was because of Rodriguez. He won the golden boot for the World Cup by scoring six goals. He scored headers, penalties, clinical finishes inside the box, deft chips after turning a defender inside-out & breathtaking long-range rockets. Colombia needed someone to step up và lead them, with Radamel Falcao missing out due khổng lồ injury, & Rodriguez did so in the most spectacular fashion.

Rodriguez was only able to lớn come on late in the eventual 2-1 loss against nhật bản because of fitness issues. Colombia were down a man and nhật bản were playing well, but Colombia were not Colombia without Rodriguez.

Far from a luxury player, he is their heartbeat. He is the person who embodies their style. When play is going through him, when he’s all over the field passing, dribbling & being dangerous, Colombia seem almost unstoppable.

Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images But Rodriguez doesn’t need lớn be catered to. His attacking qualities vày not mean that he needs to lớn be covered for by his teammates. When Poland wanted a fight, he was in the thick of things, pressing, tackling & winning the ball back khổng lồ help his team.

There was a sequence at the end of the Poland game that captured the player that Rodriguez is. When Colombia were running the time out, Rodriguez elicited oohs & ahhs from the crowd after dribbling past two players. He then passed the ball to his teammate with a backheel that the crowd clapped for.

But just as important was what came after that. He hunched over with his hands on his knees, clearly exhausted. As Poland won the ball back & started khổng lồ attack down his side, Rodriguez straightened up & started pressing khổng lồ win the ball back.

Rodriguez is perfect for Colombia. Even though he looks like a chubby-limbed cherub, he’s as hard-working as everyone else. Yet he can also make what is impossible to the rest of us, seem utterly routine. Against Poland, Rodriguez fought, & when Colombia needed someone to lớn step up, lớn separate them from their opponents, he again made the difference with his magic.