He extracted oil from the sea and water from the stones of an irrelevant action on three quarters of the field. He caught a pass, anyone else would have tried to control the ball and set up the play with a touch. And it would be good, it was logical, normal.

The crack, on the other hand, examined everything with a fantastic panoramic vision: the goal, the goalkeeper Musler, the two defenders who were in front, the three midfielders who approached him to press him, his own position, the distance and the ball. , which came from the air and on high. He also thought about the result, the circumstances. A high-class soccer player at that moment, and unintentionally – barely instinctively – processes a huge amount of information, has a very wide radius of observation and resolution. And in a fraction of a second, he decided to skip the times: he did the breaststroke, volley and corner. It was anthologically plastic and turned out as perfect as One Hundred Years of Solitude. Great work.

It was a historic goal because of the setting – the World Cup -, the box – the Maracana -, the opponent – the always difficult Uruguay -, the instance and the fantastic quality of the maneuver. An exceptional technical gesture, superior even to Zidane’s memorable 2002 goal that decided the Champions League for Real Madrid. This one was more sonorous, visually more beautiful, with a higher level of difficulty. Do not tell anyone nostalgic stories about how there were many goals like this before. fables. It was a goal of all time, better than those of other times, a football picture. At the bottom, signature: James Rodríguez. It was June 28, 2014.

“We played a good game until that goal, didn’t we…? That wonderful goal. This is football and nothing can be done against it,” said Uruguayan Édinson Cavani, a nobleman and a gentleman. How true! This kind of crack, with a technical feat of such exuberance, destroys plans, systems and illusions. That goal made us all fall in love and pushed us to the top, Real Madrid, who make very few mistakes, made a mistake: they paid 75 million euros for him. And from there fame, fame, fame… money, money, money… Three generations of Rodríguez will have to spend big. And the press, social networks, tens of millions of followers, constant rumors about passes, creating a flawless metrosexual image like all those represented by Jorge Mendes (Cristiano Ronaldo is his top model: perfect abs, designer clothes, exclusive cars, villas, total mediatization). Except that Cristiano is never missing: he played 1158 (entire) games, and James 595, in more than half of which he played briefly or for a few minutes. Playing means being available, taking care of yourself, showing the coach.

And on the field…? Nothing, or very little, sparks, drops, little things, touches, a good pass that the journalists on the payroll will say was great, that “no one can deny James’ tremendous talent”, some over-praised precise cross, pre-pre- before help. And injuries, injuries, injuries… And repeated absences. And new destinations, always with higher income and lower fees in the game. Bayern didn’t bite (they fall very hard which euro, they study well), Everton and Al-Rayyan felt cheated, now Olimpiacos terminates the contract two and a half months before the expiration. Not due to roughness, it’s fixed if the player gives solutions on the field, they give him a start due to minimal effect and very high economic cost. A statement with well-chosen words will then be prepared that will define the common disagreement as “mutual agreement”. And on behalf of the players: “I will always be a part of this big Olympiacos family…” This about an early break has never happened to him before. But Evangelos Marinakis, the ultra-millionaire owner of Olympiacos (and Nottingham Forest among many other companies), is said to be less tolerant than the Qatari directors of Al-Rayyan. This time, according to the Greek media, the cause of his sudden end was the mistreatment of the French coach José Anigo.

He never did anything like that again against Uruguay. Not twenty percent. However, in July, at the age of 32, Mendes will seek another contract of ten million euros, if possible in a European club, preferably one that plays in the Champions League and entrusts him with the number 10. To do this, they will move all their resources, which are huge, they will say that Milan, Porto, Besiktas, among others, are interested, they will start rumors… Simple: “friendly” journalists will mention polls and negotiations that no one confirms or denies. And he will achieve something, because the price of Cucutinac has dropped to 9 million, although it is no longer necessary to pay a transfer for him, he is a free agent, and his name is still shining. The presentation will be wonderful, she will wear the scarf of the club and there will be an indication of the glory days and a very long relationship, it will be said that the lefty will give great pleasure to the fans. Like-minded journalists will immediately activate the praise meter. But when the first game arrives, he will not be among the invitees “due to a lack of rhythm” or “due to the delay in the preseason”. And when the fourth or fifth date comes, because they will be “a little pulled in the shin” or “in the sole”, in that rebellious shin. And he will finish with 4 goals and 5 assists. And they’ll let you out. And there will be another post with fancy words. And Mendes will leave again with the coffin. It is cyclical.

Neymarised, James. Too bad. They chose the easy way. Two gifted elements of the same generation who preferred all the pleasant parts of the profession: fame, millions and privileges, over performance, which is the product of sacrifice and dedication. They lost their career without consolidating it with their own achievements. To list the titles in which there was almost no participation is to say goodbye to someone else’s hat.

All these considerations refer to his game, and not to his private life, in which a journalist must not interfere, no one has the right to intrude on him. We never believe in James’ arrogance, indiscipline, that he goes out too much at night, that he is not as professional as elite football requires. We are not with him to claim such things. Only your environment can ensure that. On the contrary, in public he always behaved very politely, even pleasantly. This is the same as Valverde’s kick to Baena. For Baena to tell him, that he had provoked him during the game, that his unborn son had lied to him… The only thing recorded was the punch. It’s the same with James, what you see, what counts is his production in the box. And that’s where it disappoints.

José Anigo (Olympiacos) is the seventh coach with whom James has clashed or is out of place. Before that, they were Claudio Ranieri (Monaco), Rafa Benítez (Real Madrid/Everton), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid), Niko Kovač (Bayern Munich), Nicolás Córdova (Al-Rayyan) and, in the national team, Reinaldo Rueda. There are too many of them. Zidane became public enemy number one in Colombia. Now things are better known.

We make the same note every year. In 2024, by May or June, there may be a few more. No one has ever achieved so much fame or acquired so much wealth in exchange for so little. A goal has never been paid for so much. (D)