James rodriguez He had to arrive for the match against Peru in Lima in a less than ideal state. By the time the whistle blows, he will have not played for 54 days, since the Copa America final against Argentina. He only started training with Rayo Vallecano last week. He did not make his debut, he travelled to Barranquilla to join the national team, then to Lima.
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That has been his job, but with James we know that when he plays with Colombia, it is normal for him to shine, to be important, and that is why it is expected that this Friday he will be the guide in the 7th round of the qualifiers.
(Read also: Argentina remains at the top of the qualifying round after beating Chile 3-0: these are the keys to Colombia’s next opponent)
The precedent could not have been better. James arrived at the last Copa América in the United States without playing, without continuity, he was leaving São Paulo, his call-up generated controversy, and yet, he was the star of the tournament, at a very high level that aroused the admiration of Colombian fans and even rivals. James was immense, he played like in his golden age, and those performances served to make him sound in the market again and later return to Spain.
That’s why the fact that he has been called up again, even though he hasn’t played for so long, no longer causes the same controversy. Ideally, he would arrive with rhythm, but, as it has not been possible, the hope is that, as usually happens, he plays with his memory, with his technique and with the support of a team that knows that he, at 33 years old, is still the guide, the one who orchestrates the football of the team to face the bottom team in the qualifying round.
Nestor Lorenzo’s position on James Rodriguez
Even coach Néstor Lorenzo was questioned about James, and he said: “We have followed the day-to-day (of the players called up), we have what they did in terms of physical performance, technical training. So we are seeing and evaluating the possibility and disposition of each one, not only James Rodríguez, but of the entire squad that was called up.”
James has another motivation, In Lima, it was the same stage where in 2012 he scored his first goal in qualifying with the Colombian National Team, and with that goal the team won 0-1. James also has 12 goals in World Cup qualifiers, which means he is just one away from equaling Falcao Garcia, the top Colombian scorer. James, who has not been on the pitch for 54 days, hopes that his brilliance remains intact.
PAUL ROMERO
Editor of EL TIEMPO
@PabloRomeroET
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