The FIBA world has been raving about a new, young and aspiring Colombian player named James Rodríguez. James David Rodríguez Rubio or usually known as James Rodríguez or simply James (Ham-ez) is a 22 year old Colombian football player who was able to achieve 5 goals with 2 assists in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He is now ranked as the top player in terms of goals in the said tournament.
Rodriguez currently plays for Ligue 1 club AS Monaco and the Colombian national team. His role in the playing field includes as wing and as an attacking midfielder. This only shows the young athletes versatility in the games. He became a regular player for the national team at the age of 20 and was drafted to play in the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
At club level, in 2012, he played for Porto and was named as best player in the Portuguese Primeira Liga and received the Portuguese Golden Ball. He was the youngest player to receive the award.
Bogota-based journalist Carl Worswick has tracked the young stars journey to stardom ""Before the World Cup there was no other sportsman who got even close to being as popular as Falcao. I'd even go as far as to say only the recently deceased novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez and the singer Shakira could compete with him as Colombia's most famous person - since Brazil and James's performances, however, I imagine that gap has narrowed quite a bit."
On the other hand, Brazil fans are worried of their team's clash with Colombia mostly because of Rodriguez exquisite team play. According to Jose Alberto Santos de Andrade from Radio Gaucha, "Brazil fans are worried. They are afraid of James Rodriguez because he is the most dangerous player against us but our coach Luiz Felipe Scolari and the players also say it is important to be careful with Juan Cuadrado."
He added "For Brazilians, Neymar is better but they are different. Neymar is more individual and technical, more spectacular, while Rodriguez is a more collective player with his colleagues. At the moment in this World Cup, though, they are at the same level. He is very dangerous and we know it."
With Neymar's injury looming on the sides, it is quite understandable why Brazilian fans are worried for their team. But this stiff competition will definitely be an anticipated match between two strong teams.
