The New King James: 20 Things You Need To Know About James Rodriguez, Colombia's World Cup Star
Past the humongous shadows of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, there's a new star who has experienced a meteoric rise at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and his name is James Rodriguez.
In a Saturday win against Uruguay, Rodriguez scored two goals for Colombia, including a magnificent long-range strike, confirming what his previous performances had already suggested: He is by far the best player of the tournament.
With his side set for a quarterfinal matchup against Brazil, fans and pundits alike are starting to seriously entertain the idea of the Colombians producing an upset over the host nation on the way to the final on July 13.
James Rodriguez is a big reason, and because he's so young, we are all sure to see more of his stunning performances for years to come.
But with this being his first high-profile entrance onto the world stage, there are bound to be fans who have plenty to catch up on when it comes to knowing his personal stats. That being said, here are 20 things you need to know about James Rodriguez, Colombia's World Cup superstar:
He Is Only 22 Years Old
His Name Is Pronounced "Ha-mes"
He's A Dog Lover
But His True Love Is His Wife, Daniela Ospina
She Is The Sister Of Colombian National Team Goalkeeper David Ospina
His Little Girl Is Adorable
He's An Adidas-Sponsored Athlete
He Does His Part To Give Back
“@Belkis__10: Humildad Ante Todo @jamesdrodriguez@danielaysalomepic.twitter.com/074CHflxAo”bonita foto. Gracias — James Rodríguez (@jamesdrodriguez) May 23, 2014
He Was REAL As A Kid
Les dejo otra foto de la Pony, grandes recuerdos, apenas para la Navidad. pic.twitter.com/jthG1WMG — James Rodríguez (@jamesdrodriguez) December 24, 2011
He's A Fan Of The Other King James
And A Fan Of Anime As Well
He First Made A Name For Himself At F.C. Porto, Where He Won Eight Titles
Now He's Living The Life In Monte Carlo
Where He Plays For Local Club A.S. Monaco
They Paid €45 million For His Contract Rights In May 2013
Sueños por cumplir! pic.twitter.com/TwIQAtD7vz — James Rodríguez (@jamesdrodriguez) July 9, 2013
But Manchester United Could Have Had Him For Just £5 Million
What the ...... pic.twitter.com/N1l2BDyy2w — James (@IscoDisco23) June 29, 2014
They Instead Decided To Sign A 20-Year-Old Bebe
Who Has Yet To Score A Single Premier League Goal For United
Meanwhile, James Is In The Lead For The World Cup Golden Boot Award
James Rodriguez leads Neymar, Lionel Messi and Thomas Muller in the race for the Golden Boot http://t.co/WPDsBvAWoY pic.twitter.com/idLjMXsLJX — MailOnline Sport (@MailSport) June 29, 2014
After Scoring This Beauty On Saturday
He's Filled In Perfectly For Colombian Star And Monaco Teammate Falcao
fuerza y fe hermano. Te necesitamos, el fútbol necesita de vos. pic.twitter.com/1bk1bpDhP1 — James Rodríguez (@jamesdrodriguez) January 23, 2014
And Taken His Leadership To Colombia's Dance Routines
Tumblr/A Football Observer
He's A Devout Catholic
He Has Faith Colombia Can Win The World Cup
He's quoted as saying by the Guardian:
"We’re very happy because we are making history. As a younger man, I always wanted to be here. That was a great dream of mine and we hope that we can make it far.
"It is a dream and we are making history, and we want to do even more because this is a team that wants to win a lot."
If They Do, You Know Who'll Be The Main Man
Top Photo Credit: Twitter/@JamesDRodriguez
