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James Rodríguez was a number on the list. Nothing else. There is nothing more to say, nothing that would make him stand out in a Colombia that was just beaten 6-1 against Ecuador, on the fourth date of the Qatar 2022 tie.
James wandered, once again, as in Barranquilla and as before in Santiago.
So pale was his presentation that the only redeemable thing was a precision touch at 4 minutes, which Luis Díaz could not resolve. The other 86 minutes had no weight, no association, not even an attempt on goal to break the tedium.
His next action was a bulky pass to Duván Zapata, already on the final whistle, which was left to the scorer.
In the intermission, a free kick at 18 that he had the best intention, because he surprised everyone, but he went wide. And then all bad: a free kick to the barrier, a corner kick charge, a charge from the side behind the back of an Ecuadorian … a succession of empty attempts, without the danger that characterizes it and that was sorely lacking in Quito.
Is a creative justified who does not believe and who also wears the captain’s tape and does not command? In football, in character in motivation, James failed through and through. He never supported the comebacks, the relays, he did not put his leg once when his teammates in midfield and in defense made water, which did happen with Zapata and Díaz, to mention a couple of examples. It is true that defense work is not his hallmark, but losing 6-1 it was expected that he would at least try.
James has no way of raising his head and there are already three games in this same insignificant rhythm. Is the reign of 10 over? The answer is only known to him.
