Colombia and Brazil They will face each other in the early hours of this Wednesday (3.00 Spanish time) in the last day of Group D of the America Cup in a match that involves a giant duel between two number 10 shirts from the past and present of Real Madrid: James Rodriguez and Rodrygo Goes.
World stars from different generations, the São Paulo midfielder, at almost 33 years old, is the undisputed beacon of the coffee growers and the forward of the Real Madrid, the most technical player in the Canarinha attack at just 23.
A decade of difference between the ’10’ shirts of two of the most powerful teams on the continent. Who will win the fight at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara? James, a former Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Everton player, has 27 goals and 28 assists in 102 games for the senior team.
With one foot out of the Sao Paulo, where he never quite fit in, even with different coaches, he has recovered his vigor in this Copa América and is already the leader in assists: 3 in just 2 games that ended in victory.
In the last 15 matches with their respective national teams, James has surpassed Rodrygo in assists (5-0), key passes (9-7) and successful passes into the box (24-18). The left foot of the player from Cúcuta continues to be a prodigy.
He has also lost fewer balls than the Brazilian (87-110), according to BeSoccer data. The key to his rebirth with Colombia The coach gave it to her Nestor Lorenzo“Now he runs less and thinks more.”
The team is also supporting him. For the moment, there is no trace of the problems in the soleus muscle that affected him at São Paulo and at other clubs where he has played.
Rodrygo He wears, according to him, the number with “the most weight in world football”: the number 10 that Pelé wore and that he carried Neymar until he tore the cruciate ligament and meniscus in his left knee.
The forward of the Madrid He said it is “an honour” to wear that shirt and acknowledged that he is aware that “all eyes” will be on him in this America Cup.
In the absence of a pure starting 9, Rodrygo has been acting as a false striker in the Canarinha, but with freedom of movement. Sometimes he exchanges positions with Vinicius Junior, leans more to the right with Raphinha or Savinho or take two steps back to start the play and act as conductor, that is, a pure 10.
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Rodrygo has scored 6 goals and provided 1 assist in 25 games for the senior team. His scoring average is very similar to that of the Real Madrid. In comparison with James Rodriguez, In the last fifteen games, the former Santos player has taken more shots on goal (15-7), has recovered more balls in the opponent’s half (38-26) and has successfully completed more dribbles (37-7).
Looking ahead to Tuesday’s clash, Colombia has already qualified for the quarter-finals and has gone 25 games without losing, but could lose the lead in Group D if it is defeated by a Brazil that will test its improvement after beating Paraguay (1-4).
