James Rodriguez lights up the Copa America and is at the heart of Colombia’s incredible run

Nestor Lorenzo often has a great way of summarizing things. Asked about the enigmatic James Rodriguez ahead of a crucial match with Brazil on Tuesday, the smooth Colombian coach once again gave his opinion.

“Now he runs a little less, but he thinks a little more. That’s good for him. He’s well surrounded and that’s what makes him play well.”

After just three games in the 2024 Copa America, the 32-year-old Rodriguez has already created 11 chances for teammates — more than any other player in the tournament — and provided three assists. If it weren’t for a video referee’s (VAR) ruthless line drawing midway through a thrilling first half against Brazil in Santa Clara, California, last night, he would have made four.

“I know how much he loves the shirt, his dedication to the national team,” Lorenzo continued, “and that’s why I trusted him.”

Rodriguez’s participation in the Colombian national team has not been assured in recent years, missing out on the 2021 Copa America squad as his club form continued to falter. Now at Brazil’s Sao Paulo, his fitness and form have allowed him to play just under 700 competitive minutes in 12 months.

Nevertheless, Lorenzo has found a place for Rodriguez’s technical ability to breathe in a 4-3-1-2 system, with him pulling the strings in a positionally fluid role behind the two strikers. Hard-hitting runners and tough tacklers Jefferson Lerma and Richard Rios can do the dirty work in midfield, leaving the number 10 free to combine with the intelligent Jhon Arias, catch Luis Diaz’s relentless channel runs or watch the penalty area for the busy striker Jhon Cordoba.

With the freedom to roam the spaces, Rodriguez will react to the match in front of him. As we can see in the image below, he likes to drop into the build-up phase and collect the ball from the centre-backs, particularly against the aggressive low blocks of Paraguay and Costa Rica, who worked hard to close down his favoured spaces in midfield during the first two group games.

Things opened up in the 1-1 draw against Brazil, allowing him to enter dangerous areas in the right half-space, where he didn’t hesitate to cut inside and find his team-mates. Once in those areas, his delivery is consistently inch perfect.

One of the final contributions to his lockpicking clinic against Brazil was creating the next chance for Cordoba from precisely that space.

With the extra thinking time Lorenzo mentioned – which he was given when he ran wide to receive the pass – Rodriguez selects a perfectly judged cross that lands precisely on the six-yard line, sails over the defenders and onto the head of his striker.

Seven of the 11 chances he’s created for his teammates this tournament have come from dead-ball deliveries, and with his ability to read the weight of his passes, it’s easy to see why. There’s something about the way Rodriguez launches the ball into the air – the almost relaxed way he swoops it in a circle and spin towards goal, keeping it suspended just long enough to pin the keeper on his line – that makes every cross incredibly easy to pounce on.

For the disallowed ‘equalizer’, look at how close Davinson Sanchez is to the goal when he makes contact. The ball is thrown over the defensive line, but not too high to give the keeper a chance to claim the ball.

Rodriguez also brought the ball to the edge of the penalty area from corners, but this time it was Cordoba again who headed over the bar.

The quality and consistency of these crosses is such that any mistake from Colombia, anywhere on the pitch, will be greeted with enthusiasm by the fans in the stands.

Rodriguez can also make substitutions. Early in the first half against Brazil, he clipped the crossbar with a venomous free-kick, the ball diving and swerving as it went over the wall.

He also once fired towards Alisson’s near post from a crossing position. He walked towards the ball, leaned back, suddenly closed his body and wrapped his foot around the ball, forcing the keeper to run back and push a spinning shot over the top.

His left boot has finesse and firepower.

Despite what Lorenzo’s summary might suggest, Rodriguez is certainly not a low-intensity player; only Brazilian defender Marquinhos had more possession last night at the San Francisco 49ers’ Levi’s Stadium, while the four tackles he made were only bettered by teammate Daniel Munoz.

Even though his pace has slowed somewhat as he turns 33 in just over a week, Rodriguez’s passion for the national team keeps him moving.

(Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

“He is a player we have to keep a close eye on,” Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimaraes said before the match. “There will always be someone who has to keep an eye on him.”

Colombia are now on a 26-game unbeaten run and will advance to Saturday’s quarter-final against Panama in Glendale, Arizona, as heavy favorites to take their total to 27.

Rodriguez is the beating heart of that historic run and offers the world one last glimpse of his galactico days at Real Madrid.

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(Top photo: Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)