James Rodriguez Show Time

Colombia’s new idol James Rodriguez is living the dream of every footballer: to go from being a virtual unknown to a global household name during a World Cup.

This was something that not Diego Maradona nor Ronaldo, Neymar or Lionel Messi were able to do, given that they had established their reputations in domestic and continental competitions before shining at different World Cups.

“When you see a star being born, it fills your heart with sweetness, and this is exactly what is happening at the moment with James Rodriguez,” commented Italian paper La Gazzetta dello Sport Sunday, the day after Colombia’s 2-0 defeat of Uruguay in Rio’s Maracana stadium – with Rodriguez going to the top of the World Cup scorers chart with two more goals to his name.

Not all ‘boy wonders’ have the same luck as Pele, who helped Brazil to win the 1958 World Cup in Sweden aged just 17.

And Ronaldo, when aged just 17, did not play at the 1994 World Cup, and was anonymous in the 1998 final when aged 21.

Jose Pekerman – the coach who kept Messi on the Argentina bench in 2006 – has another chance in the World Cup eight years later.

Oscar Tabarez, coach of Uruguay, was generous with the player who put his side out of the World Cup: “He is really a great talent, like Maradona or Messi, one of those very special players.