GLENDALE, Arizona — Large tournaments at all times throw out just a few surprises. Unheralded groups come to the fore. Beforehand unknown gamers make their mark. Maybe an getting older veteran can idiot Father Time as soon as extra and summon up one final hurrah.
Within the 2024 Copa America, the continued renaissance of Colombia playmaker James Rodríguez qualifies as a marvel. His one-goal, two help efficiency on Saturday catapulted his nation previous Panama 5-0 and into the Copa América semifinals.
In some respects, that Rodriguez is lighting up a global event should not be information. This can be a man who burst onto the scene on the 2014 World Cup in Brazil with a tournament-high six objectives, main the Cafeteros to the quarterfinals. His chest-trap-and-volley to attain the opening purpose in opposition to Uruguay within the Spherical of 16 stays etched within the reminiscence. The person’s expertise is apparent.
However there may be one other facet to Rodriguez’s performances on this event that has been confounding. Ever since that breakout efficiency, Rodriguez’s membership profession has been in a downward spiral. His transfer to Actual Madrid noticed a gentle erosion in enjoying time. The identical was true throughout a two-year spell with Bayern Munich. After which step-by-step, he appeared to shifting down the rungs of the membership recreation — Everton, Al Rayyan, Olympiacos, and now São Paulo in Brazil — the place he is performed however 22 video games over the previous 12 months, and already appears surplus to necessities.
But one thing occurs when Rodriguez pulls on a Colombia shirt. He was already sitting on three assists on this event when he set to work in opposition to the Canaleros, delivering an inch-perfect supply from a nook for defender Jhon Córdoba to nod dwelling within the eighth minute. Rodriguez discovered the online himself from a Fifteenth-minute penalty after Colombia midfielder Jhon Arias was upended by Panama keeper Orlando Mosquera.
Rodriguez’s most impressed second got here simply 4 minutes earlier than halftime. Noticing that the Panamanian protection was standing flat-footed, he took a fast free kick excessive of the protection that discovered Luis Díaz within the clear, and the Liverpool man then delivered an excellent lofted end 4 yards exterior the penalty space to increase Colombia’s lead. When Rodriguez exited the match within the 73rd minute, it was to a standing ovation, with the midfielder applauding the followers again.
“I at all times attempt to assist my teammates in order that they will play properly and I congratulate them for taking part in properly,” Rodriguez mentioned by way of a translator. He added, “We’re all going via a great second. We’re doing objectives from set items, from penalties and deliberate performs which is an effective factor.”
When requested if he is been the perfect participant on the Copa América, Rodriguez mentioned, “There’s nonetheless plenty of time. There’s two video games left with what we need to obtain and all I need to do is win, so there’s rather a lot left.”
There’s a temptation to easily write off Rodriguez’s efficiency as coming in opposition to an overmatched opponent. It was in spite of everything Colombia’s largest margin of victory ever in a Copa América match. However strive telling that to the U.S. males’s nationwide group, who fell to Panama within the group stage. Whereas the expertise hole between the 2 groups on today was clear, a group with that edge continues to be obligated to make use of it to its full benefit, and that is what Rodriguez and the remainder of his teammates did.
It nonetheless begs the query as to why Rodriguez can excel for his nation however not for his membership. For Colombia supervisor Nestor Lorenzo, there is not any thriller as to why Rodriguez is hitting high type on this event.
“He is a great participant,” Lorenzo mentioned merely about Rodriguez. “He is a participant that’s blissful inside the sector. The coach simply sees put him [on the field so he can] take pleasure in.”
It actually helps that Rodriguez has been given largely a free function within the group, permitting him to maneuver aspect to aspect, and even deep into midfield to seek out house. Extra importantly, his teammates appear loads keen to work for him. That type of steadiness within the aspect — of not simply capability, however of ego and duty — is one thing that Lorenzo appreciates. He senses it on this group too.
“Soccer is an 11-player recreation and typically 10 should play for that one participant and so they should be keen to try this,” he mentioned. “However every of these 11 gamers should play for his or her teammates, for the opposite 10. And that’s what this group is displaying, nice angle and giving their all for his or her teammates. That has been obvious from minute one.”
There may be additionally one thing to be mentioned about discovering calmness in an setting completely different from what is occurring with Rodriguez’s membership. He actually is not the primary participant to make use of a nationwide group as a refuge. However Lorenzo was fast to deflect credit score for the psychological state of Rodriguez and his teammates.
“I would not know measure that with the teaching employees,” he mentioned in reference to the group’s morale, with the assistance of a translator. “We’re repeatedly [emphasizing] how necessary it is to play on your nationwide group, to put on your jersey. And I believe it is one thing to take to coronary heart that makes you proud.
“That’s on the aspect of the gamers. I believe we do not have plenty of affect in that sense. We will present some management, and if the gamers are dedicated on this means, it’s as a result of they love their jersey and they’re very blissful being right here.”
Whatever the how or the why, that Rodriguez is discovering pleasure on the sector once more is evident, and his efficiency on Saturday put him in some choose firm. He is now tied with Lionel Messi for probably the most assists in a single Copa América since 2011 (a interval that spans 5 tournaments) with 5.
His eight assists over that interval are second solely to Messi’s 17. Rodríguez’s 10 purpose contributions (three objectives, seven assists) over the past 5 Copa América tournaments tie Ángel Di María, Alexis Sánchez and Paolo Guerrero for the third-most purpose contributions in that span behind Eduardo Vargas’ 14 and Messi’s 25.
Now Colombia finds itself within the semifinals of the Copa América for the third time within the final 4 editions. However it’s at this stage that the Cafeteros often stumble. Two early objectives conceded within the semifinals in opposition to Chile eradicated Colombia again in 2016, when Lorenzo simply so occurred to be an assistant coach on Colombia’s employees. A penalty shootout defeat to Argentina 5 years later prompted much more angst. It has additionally been 23 lengthy years since Colombia claimed its solely Copa América, a event that it hosted.
It’s that historical past, which explains why Rodriguez is taking nothing with no consideration. “We’re doing all our greatest so we are able to win. We’ve got the toughest matches left,” mentioned.
If Rodriguez can sustain his present type, these challenges will change into rather a lot simpler.