Nestor Lorenzo often had a clever way of summarizing things. The eloquent Colombian coach said it again when asked about the enigmatic James Rodriguez ahead of Tuesday’s crucial clash with Brazil.
“Now he’s running less but thinking more. That’s good for him. He’s in a good environment and that’s why he plays.
After just three games at the 2024 Copa America, the 32-year-old Rodriguez has already created 11 chances for his teammates – more than any other player in the tournament – and provided three assists. He would have had a fourth had it not been for a ruthless line-out by the video assistant referee (VAR) during a thrilling first half against Brazil in Santa Clara, California last night.
“I know his love for this jersey, his commitment to the national team,” Lorenzo continued, “and that’s why I trust him.”
Rodriguez’s performance in the Colombian national team has not been guaranteed in recent years, and he missed the 2021 Copa America squad due to the club’s continued instability. Now playing for Brazilian side Sao Paulo, his fitness and form have meant he has played nearly 700 league minutes in 12 months.
Lorenzo nonetheless found a place for Rodriguez’s technical abilities in a 4-3-1-2 system, playing a positional role behind the two strikers. Powerful runners and tough tacklers Jefferson Lerma and Richard Rios can do the dirty work in midfield, leaving the No. 10 free to combine with the clever Jon Arias , picking out Luis Diaz’s relentless channel running, or finding busy center John Cordoba in the penalty area.
With the freedom to roam in space, Rodriguez will react to the play in front of him. As we can see from the image below, he likes to get into the build-up phase and receive the ball from the centre-backs, especially against the aggressive low blocks of Paraguay and Costa Rica, who struggle to seal off his first-choice goal. Space in the midfield during the group stage.
In the 1-1 draw with Brazil, things became more open, allowing him to stray into dangerous areas in the right half, where he had no hesitation in cutting inside to find teammates. Once he gets to those areas, his pitches are consistently perfect.
One of his final contributions to Brazil’s lockpicking clinic was to create the following chance for Cordoba from this space.
Lorenzo pointed to the extra thinking time – the time created when he pulled wide to receive the ball – before Rodriguez picked out a perfectly judged cross that landed squarely on the six-yard line and crossed over It hit the defensive player and fell on the forward’s head.
Seven of the 11 chances he has created for teammates in this tournament have come from dead-ball passes, and with his ability to judge the strength of a pass, it’s easy to see why. The way Rodriguez passes the ball – an almost leisurely way of letting the ball spin around and towards goal, letting it hang in the air long enough to pin the goalkeeper to the goal line – makes every It is very easy to be attacked in every pass.
For a banned “equalizer,” look how close Davinson Sanchez came to goal upon contact. The height of the pass should be over the defensive line, but not so high that the goalkeeper comes to catch the ball.
In the bottom corner, Rodriguez also kept passing the ball to the edge of the six-yard box. This time, it was Cordoba who headed the ball over the crossbar again.
The quality and consistency of these crosses was such that he would trot over to pick up any Colombian set piece from anywhere on the pitch and receive a warm welcome from the fans in the crowd.
Rodriguez can change that, too. Early in the first half against Brazil, one of his vicious free-kicks glanced off the crossbar, tilting and deflecting as it sailed over the wall.
He also fired a shot from a cross towards Alisson’s near post. He strode to the ball, leaned back, and suddenly wrapped his foot around the ball, forcing the goalkeeper to retreat and head a spinning shot over the goal.
His left boot is full of skill and firepower.
Despite what Lorenzo’s summary might suggest, Rodriguez is not low-intensity by any means. Only Brazilian linebacker Marquinhos had more touches last night at the San Francisco 49ers’ Levi’s Stadium, and his four tackles were only surpassed by teammate Daniel Munoz.
Although Rodriguez, who turns 33 in just over a week, has slowed down, his desire for the national team still keeps him going.
(Winslow Townsend/Getty Images)
“He’s a player we have to keep an eye on,” Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimarães said before the game. “Someone has to keep an eye on him.”
Colombia is currently on a 26-match unbeaten run and will head into Saturday’s quarterfinals against Panama in Glendale, Arizona, as heavy favorites heading into the 27-match series.
Rodriguez has been at the heart of that historic run and is showing the world the final act of his Galactic era at Real Madrid.
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(Above: Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
