[crowd cheering]
[announcer 1] Crowds electric as always here at the Metropolitano in Barranquilla.
Colombia and Bolivia!
Rival teams will square off here today.
Their World Cup futures hang in the balance.
2025 - COLOMBIA VS BOLIVIA WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
[announcer 2] Earning a victory, even by a single goal,
would be enough for the Colombian team to qualify.
[crowd cheering]
There are naysayers who didn't want him playing for the national team.
Some don't see him as worthy of playing in the next World Cup.
[crowd cheering]
[thoughtful music playing]
[announcer 1] This game will likely come down…
[James Rodríguez] Not qualifying for Qatar was hard,
but you get used to losing when you play football.
I've had more failures than triumphs, and they've taught me a lot.
Character is built by adversity.
[announcer 2] Today we chase glory!
We need to qualify here and now
so that we can turn our full attention towards preparing for the World Cup.
[announcer 1] We're all behind you, Colombia!
Let's beat Bolivia!
[James] Right from kickoff, I wanted it. I wanted to come through and score.
[announcer 1] The ball goes to James, James takes his shot… it goes long!
The header comes in at the far post, Bacca finds it!
He finds it at the last second!
[James] If I wanna be here,
I have to score if I wanna be part of the story.
[announcer 1] Lucho's upfield, looking to cut inside.
Down the flank. sends in the cross. Header on target, the keeper's there!
[announcer 2] James' header is blocked.
[announcer 1] Lucho has it again on the edge of the box.
He holds, he waits, he fakes. Now Arias with a low cross.
Who has it? The ball is in!
[crowd cheering]
[thoughtful music rising]
[James] Making it to a third World Cup is a big deal for me…
[announcer 1] Goal!
…because it isn't easy to play at that level, to play for so long.
It's, like, my way of saying, "Hey, I'm still here." You know?
[sportscaster] James Rodriguez becomes the top scorer for the Colombian team
in qualifiers scoring his fourteenth goal.
He has so much love for his country.
I admire him. I love him.
[Luis Díaz] He's the gold standard.
He's got the most assists, the most goals of any midfielder.
[Radamiel Falcao] We've all seen it.
Every time he puts on that yellow jersey,
he knows he's playing with his entire heart.
[announcer 2] A free kick…
[James] With the team this time, I think that we're gonna do great things.
-[crowd cheering] -[announcer 2] Corner back…
And goal!
[James] It was nice to see the guys so happy,
especially after missing the last World Cup.
[announcer 1] He cuts inside Quintero. Lines it up from outside the box… Goal!
[James] I'm gonna be 35.
What better way to wrap things up than with a shot in the World Cup?
[announcer 1] Colombia is here to party!
Through our spirit, through our heart, which is full again.
We are on the road to the World Cup!
-We're qualified! -Qualified!
[reporter] Such joy for Colombia!
Colombia is back in the World Cup!
We qualified, and that's what matters.
[James] I've had a beautiful career.
I think that I've had more good than bad.
And that's what I'll take with me.
[atmospheric music playing]
I've been thinking about everything I've done.
My history with this jersey.
[camera shutter clicking]
And a lot of things stand out.
[reporter 1] A man who will always be remembered by the Colombian people.
[crowd cheering]
[James] It hasn't all been easy.
When you win, everybody's happy.
But when you lose, you're all alone.
[reporter 2] James growing arrogant, saying "I'm the star here."
Too busy partying.
[opening theme music playing]
[James] My whole career,
I've always dedicated my… my life to my jersey. Always.
-[woman] James! -[man] We are Colombian!
[squad] One, two, three! Colombia. Colombia, Colombia!
[James] If this ends up being it for me, I can leave happy.
But it feels like there's still a chapter missing.
[music continues]
[crowd cheering]
[announcer] "Abelito" Aguilar passes the ball to James.
Back to Abel, back to James. He turns, rebound, left foot!
James! Oh, my God!
My word, this boy's a star! Forget it!
Brilliance! Just brilliance!
[clapper loader] Interview nine. James. Take two.
My grandmother, rest her soul, she once said to me,
"Let them talk."
"Good or bad, always give them something to talk about."
[chuckles]
EPISODE 1 JAMES VS LIFE
Yeah, I've always known I wanted to play football.
First, because I had the talent.
Second, because I wanted to compete.
Third, because I had the passion for playing football.
-A big round of applause. -[cheering]
[James] I've always had the mental strength and the drive to win.
Ever since I was a kid.
[camera shutter clicks]
[lively music playing]
My name is María del Pilar Rubio.
I was born in Ibagué, then I moved to Bogotá.
MOTHER
And then I moved to Medellín, then to Argentina.
I was always following my son.
He's James Rodríguez.
I had him pretty young, but I don't regret it at all.
If I had to do it over, I wouldn't change a thing.
[gentle music playing]
I met James' dad when he was playing for Deportes Tolima.
We got married really quickly, maybe two months after we started dating,
because my parents wouldn't let me out on my own.
I was really young, 18.
I got to Cúcuta when I was eight months pregnant.
And he had a nuchal cord.
And the clinic didn't want to do a C-section.
We couldn't afford the hospital. We didn't have much money.
Imagine I got to the clinic at 7:00 in the morning,
and he wasn't born until 9:00 at night.
And my dad… This… this is what they've told me.
He just picked me up, and took me to the registry office.
And said, "His name is James David."
He was supposed to be named Juan David.
I mean, I was a child myself, and I just had a kid of my own.
And he registers him with the wrong name.
[James] We left right after I was born.
I was 15 days old, and we moved to Tolima.
[María] I went back to Ibagué right away, and then we kind of started our new life.
[camera shutter clicks]
We're his uncles, but we're just a few years older than he is.
UNCLES
So, when we were growing up, it was more like we were his brothers.
There was always a ball bouncing around the house.
He was always outside playing.
[Andrés] And even when he was really little,
he could play just as well as the rest of us,
who were so much older and bigger.
[announcer] A fifth goal for James Rodriguez!
He's always been so competitive. Always. He could never stand losing.
I'm not sure if he has any memory of his biological father,
from when he was growing up.
I think that must have been, um…
That must have been hard.
[María] And just at the start, he was there for his birth.
But after that, he wasn't ever really around.
His father would usually call around Christmas.
We had no relationship.
Thank God that I had my family, because without them,
I have no idea how I would have done it.
When you grow up surrounded by affection and love,
I think everything just flows, doesn't it?
I think his version of a father figure
was very much influenced by the discipline from Juan Carlos.
His stepfather, who I had his sister Juanita with,
he was very present, but he could be very harsh.
STEPFATHER
A restless boy appeared, 3 years old, always with his ball tucked under his arm.
As if he had been born with it.
[James] My stepfather.
I think my upbringing with him was very strict.
"Work hard."
"Never give up."
"Never show up late."
It was too strict, but it gave me a good foundation too.
I tried out for two academies, and they told me that I sucked.
They said, "No, teach this kid to play chess or something."
"He's no good at this." Imagine.
"This kid's no good."
After that, I went to the third academy, Academia Tolimense.
And that's where I ended up.
[lively music playing]
2004 PONY FÚTBOL FINAL MEDELLÍN, COLOMBIA
[announcer] Pony Fútbol.
Teaching a new generation of Colombian citizens who play fair!
This is the grand finale of Pony Fútbol.
[James] My stepfather was essential
in making it possible for me to play football.
[María] He'd say, "James is great with his left."
"He's left-footed, you know? He should go to an academy."
And I didn't want to, because of James' father,
who had an association with football.
I completely demonized football.
My mom thought I shouldn't play football because my dad was a football player too,
and she had such a bad experience with him.
When he was off the field, he wasn't great.
[announcer] The ball will be taken from the corner.
Forty minutes. Academia Tolimense takes it.
Here it comes. Near post!
Long live Pony Fútbol!
James Rodríguez was there for the corner, the star of the team.
Almost an Olímpico goal.
Then he started playing in tournaments, and I saw that he was the best, and I…
-[women laughing] -[James chuckles]
I had been saying no, but I saw that, and knew it was right.
[announcer] This is the star, the talent that needs no introduction.
James Rodríguez!
Back then, when… when he didn't want to come back inside,
my mom could always get him to come back in.
Every night, she'd tell him that Captain Tsubasa was about to start.
[Captain Tsubasa music theme in Spanish playing]
[James] I loved Captain Tsubasa.
It was my favorite show when I was a kid.
I even have a tattoo of baby Oliver Atom.
He was number 10. He was the captain.
I wanted to be Oliver.
[upbeat music playing]
[exhales]
[announcer] A player who delivers on the pitch. His name is James Rodríguez.
[cheering]
Watch out!
James Rodríguez steps up.
He shoots.
Goal!
[crowd cheering]
I guess my dream came true.
[announcer] An Olímpico goal. The crowd loves it.
I hope that everyone watching
is enjoying the talent and class that this kid brings to the game.
[upbeat music continues]
[referee blows whistle]
The referee calls time.
They are the champions! They are the champions!
[man] Is there anyone you'd like to recognize with this win?
I think I wanna dedicate it to… to my mom and stepdad.
[man] Tell us, what's your dream, James?
My dream is, I wanna be a professional soccer player.
-A professional. -With which team?
I think I'll start with Tolima, and then whatever God wants.
[María] He's feeling so many emotions, so much joy.
This is the start of something amazing for him.
He'll chase his goals, his dreams.
We all know that we have to support him
and stay with him for everything that happens.
[pulsing music playing]
[James] DIM bought 25% of my rights, and Envigado bought another 25%.
[announcer] James Rodríguez is making his professional debut.
The 14-year-old is wearing the number 25.
I went into the locker room, and stayed and sort of hid by the door.
He saw me and said, "Hey, hey, kid, what are you doing there?"
"They called me up."
I was shy. I was the youngest one there,
so I didn't know what to expect or how I was supposed to act.
[music continues]
We've been helping him.
My husband and I have always been a part of this with him.
I was always there. At Envigado, they called me "coach." [laughs]
I embarrassed him.
I went to all of his practices, every morning and afternoon.
I said, "I don't care, I'm going to be here for you."
You'd see him practicing, and he was so committed, so professional.
He made it look easy, but it wasn't. Traveling, meeting so many people.
[James] My uncles were also with me a lot.
While his mom was working, we would go to his practices.
-We'd take him on the bus or out to eat. -[Mario] Or got a drink.
[Andrés] Or got a drink.
[James] "Okay, Uncle. Arepa or bus?"
"Arepa or what, you jerk?" "Pedal, pedal!"
-[Mario] I still think about those arepas… -[James laughs]
[María] I did what I had to do. I had no other choice.
[reporter] Today will go down in the history of Colombian football
as the day James Rodríguez made his professional debut.
[James] It's a different feeling when you play for your country.
Every game I get to play for Colombia is a dream.
When I'm out there, I think, "This is really happening."
Each game, for me, I see as another opportunity…
COLOMBIA NATIONAL TEAM TRAINING GROUND
…to do something that will last forever.
That's what I feel when I play for Colombia.
[María] I remember the time the president of Envigado called me
and said that the national team was gonna have…
COLOMBIA U-17 NATIONAL TEAM
…a trial with Eduardo Lara.
He asked if James could go, and I told him, "Of course!"
Next thing I heard, they told me to send him toothpaste and underwear
because he'd been selected.
[lively music playing]
[Andrea Guerrero] He was on the national radar
as soon as he started playing professionally with Envigado.
JOURNALIST
Often in Colombia, up-and-coming players will be rushed ahead of their age group.
FIFA U-17 WORLD CUP, SOUTH KOREA
James was lucky to play internationally in important age-group categories.
He made it to the World Cup in Korea, the U-17 World Cup.
[announcer] Rodriguez takes it.
[crowd cheering]
-[announcer 1] Best player on the pit. -[announcer 2] And an excellent header!
[Guerrero] James has experienced many changes that people tend to forget.
Like how he moved to Argentina at a very young age.
["Déjala Rodar" by Diamante Eléctrico playing]
[Juan José Buscalia] Banfield was a club
that traditionally played in lower divisions of Argentinian football.
But since the '90s, they have been a fixture.
A contender at the top level.
Today, they're completely used to playing in the first division.
[reporter] We continue with our coverage of Banfield.
Today, I have with me a player who is very much in demand.
James Rodríguez. He's making his debut with Banfield.
Welcome to Argentine football.
Yeah, thank you very much for having me.
I'm looking forward to doing a good job.
I don't think I ever told him this, but I would cry all the time.
It was really difficult for me because
I had never been away from him for so long.
I was always able to be there for him, and all of a sudden, I had to say,
"Open your wings and fly."
[thoughtful music playing]
[James] The first three or four months, it was just rice, tuna…
MAIN: TUNA, PASTA
…and pasta. Tuna, rice, tuna. That was all I ate.
"Oh, my God, is he eating?" you know?
And he was always like, "Relax, Mom, don't worry."
Sure, he had a salary, but he was just a kid.
He was in another country. He was 16, for God's sake.
[Buscalia] That James, who lived in the Banfield boarding house,
he was freezing at night, he wasn't eating.
That couldn't have been easy, and that has an effect on you, you know?
On top of that,
the pressure of needing to win so they'll let you play.
We talked for maybe 40 seconds. "Hi, Mom, how are you?"
Then it goes, "Please insert more coins to continue this call," so I hang up.
"Beep…"
And I just started crying.
I cried a lot of nights until…
Until I started thinking about packing up and going home.
Then, Julio César Falcioni arrived. He's been like an angel to us.
He was very young.
COACH
He came up through the club's youth divisions.
And right away, we could see that he was a different kind of player.
He moved up through the ranks quickly.
[reporter] What kind of player is James? What does he bring to Banfield?
Well, I think I'm a good attacking midfielder with good technique.
[María] Julio César Falcioni saw him.
He brought James up with the team for the preseason.
And he calls and says, "Mom, they're not playing me!"
"James, this is your first preseason. If you come back, I'll make empanadas,
but you'll never play football again. Do you understand?"
"No, no, no. How could you say that, Mom?" And he stayed.
If I come back, it needs to be big.
If I come back, it's to play, to score, to be a champion.
I don't know.
[Falcioni] But James was only 17.
He was stepping into this very demanding professional environment.
We had to really push him because we knew how much talent he had.
[James] He said, "All right, we'll play you."
"For this practice, you'll play left back, and I'll keep an eye on you."
"If I don't see you make it up and down the pitch
eight times in 25 minutes, you're done."
So you know what I did? [laughs] I stuck a rocket up my… You know where.
[laughs] I was flying. I was running all over the place.
And Julio just says, "Alright, alright, kid. That's enough."
[announcer] Through the middle, James Rodríguez breaks for the far post.
Now Banfield has it. Brossi. Foul, and penalty!
I was there when James debuted.
We called him "Jaymz." [laughs]
I remember one of the managers told me,
"Today, for the first time, a young Colombian kid is on the team."
"He's gonna crush it."
[announcer] On comes James Rodriguez.
The Colombian is the youngest foreign player to ever debut in Argentina.
And look what a young James does, right into the top corner.
He scores his first goal in his second match.
They asked me what James' ceiling was, so I told them, "He doesn't have one."
[reporter] How did you feel being subbed in?
And the reception from the fans chanting, "Colombia"?
No, I'm happy. First, because I played well, and, um…
-Because they like me. -[lively rock music playing]
[James] After those first few months,
I don't think about the rest of it because it all went well. Really well.
[announcer] Rodríguez! Goal!
[James] I felt like I was already a professional at Banfield.
He was the first.
The youngest foreign player to ever debut in Argentina.
He's always broken records.
[James] We're ahead and, well,
we just have to keep doing what we're doing.
[reporter] Do you think this match showed that your team are contenders?
He became an everyday starter, and we started to really see his strength.
[announcer] James…
Playing in Argentina helped me a lot with my conditioning.
With my ability to run. I think it was a big step up.
[reporter] Now, James, with you… if it's not incredible, it hardly counts.
I think it was a good goal.
And I hope that, that I keep scoring goals like that.
There was a real leap for James.
We were all struck by how it seemed
like he'd been playing in Argentina his whole life,
and had been wearing number 10 for Banfield his whole life, too.
JAMES UNSTOPPABLE
You also need to be a bit lucky. Be in the right place at the right time.
And I was.
[crowd cheering]
Ladies and gentlemen,
Banfield are your new champions of Argentina!
They’ve won the AFA Apertura!
CHAMPION C.A. BANFIELD FIRST TIME EVER
[anchor] On to bigger things. To international football.
In Argentina, a Colombian took a historic victory lap with Banfield.
Young James Rodríguez wrapped himself in his home flag
to celebrate winning the first title in the 113-year history of the small club.
[reporter] James Rodríguez has earned the right to add his name
into the annals of football history
as a critical part of this team led by Julio César Falcioni.
I dedicate this to everyone back home in Colombia.
[reporter] For the young man born in Cúcuta, raised in Ibagué,
introduced to the world of football in Antioquia,
and immortalized in Argentina, this is a dream come true.
Yes, it's an honor for me, and well, I think the club needed this.
And, yeah, I'm happy.
He's… he's a hero.
His name is forever a part of history.
[atmospheric music playing]
[reporter] Banfield is working miracles!
[fan] I can die happy now after this championship.
[inaudible]
[clapper loader] Interview with David Ospina. Take four.
I've known him since he was a kid.
Uh… but it wasn't through football.
GOALKEEPER
It was because he dated my sister.
[reporter] David and Daniela.
Two athletes from Antioquia who both have winning in their blood.
[David] She's always been an athlete.
In school, she was always really good at every sport in gym class.
No, well, I mean, he's excellent as a goalkeeper and also as a person.
We both believe it's important to show what you can do when you're on the field.
That we have to prove it.
They were just kids back then.
They both came to our house.
Daniela wanted to introduce us to this football player.
I had heard about him.
That's when we started our beautiful friendship.
I met Dani through one of her friends, through a mutual friend.
Everyone thinks it was through… through David, but no.
One of my friends was good friends with him, and she told me,
"It's James' birthday. You should wish him a happy birthday."
So I said, "Happy birthday."
And after that, we both wanted to keep getting to know each other.
The whole thing happened very fast.
They barely knew each other, they barely talked about it.
And they made the decision to have this adventure and live a life together.
Him playing his sport, and my sister at his side.
With Dani, I-I felt good. I was happy, I was comfortable.
I felt like I wanted to, to build… to build a life with her.
[gentle music playing]
[man] You met when you were 16, is that right?
We were 17, right? No, 16.
You were 17. I was 16 when we met.
I'm older than her.
-By one year. -[man] You must respect your elders then.
You gotta respect me, please.
I mean, I respect him. I'm just not a fan.
[laughing]
[man] He's not a good player?
No, he's good. Now that I've taught him a couple things.
[all laughing]
[man] And was he very demanding?
Him? Sure.
He can't let himself lose at anything, ever.
He's never liked to lose at anything. Football, any game. He can never lose.
Ever since I was a kid.
But he's always been disciplined.
That's right.
We got married when I was 18.
We moved to Europe at such a young age, and well, it's risky, right?
But I think that we had the… the maturity to make it work.
And be happy and stay together in this new life.
And, well, I think those years were amazing.
[reporter] Is there a chance you'll stay, or are you already thinking about leaving?
I don't know. There's talk about me leaving in the next few weeks.
[clapper loader] Interview with Falcao. Take one.
Set!
SOCCER PLAYER
I was playing with River. At River, in my last season there,
before I went to Portugal, I saw him playing in the First Division.
He was scoring, scoring goals, so I knew about him.
I went looking into him,
and I discovered that he was the son of another James, who played with my dad.
And then I moved to Portugal a few months later.
And he was really starting to shine.
There were rumors that he might sign with a European club.
[reporter] We're hearing talk of Benfica in Portugal, maybe Lazio.
Or Espanyol in Barcelona. Which one are you looking at?
I'm not sure. All three are good options.
Benfica was interested. I was told, "Choose Benfica or Porto."
I saw that Porto was winning more.
Falcao was at Porto, so was Guarín.
So I said, "I'm going to Porto."
["Tararea" by Alcolirykoz playing]
♪ Listen to the beat ♪
PORTO, PORTUGAL
♪ Listen to the beat ♪
And I think that I made the right choice.
[Falcao] It was a triumph for the club.
Especially since they kept him from going to another team,
Especially Benfica, their biggest rivals.
And in Portugal, the Colombian James Rodríguez is on the rise.
The midfielder scored his first goal in the Europa League with Porto,
where he plays with his countryman Falcao García.
I was there on my first contract.
I was already settled in Porto with my wife, Lorelei,
and he shows up all alone,
so I invited him to our house, to have lunch.
I wanted to start getting to know him.
He really was just a kid then.
[Guerrero] Now, looking back at James' time in Porto,
I still can't see him as a kid.
He seemed like an adult, a real professional.
But that was how he was on the field.
["Tararea" continues playing]
It was great because three of us were from Colombia.
Seeing that micro-community he had with Falcao and Guarín,
how they worked together, what they achieved together.
[Falcao] That season, I think we won everything.
Everything we played in, we won.
No. I lied, we might have lost one.
The Portuguese Super Cup, the League, the Portuguese Cup,
and the Europa League.
Historic, man! Historic!
Let's go!
[James] In three years, I won nine titles.
And that whole time, we were the best team in… in Portugal.
-[man] James! -[crowd chanting] Rodríguez!
[James] And the better you play, the more pressure there is.
The more eyes are on you.
Porto received an offer on James Rodríguez from Manchester United.
EVERYONE WANTS JAMES TO ACCEPT
The club considers the financial return insufficient
and won't part with their talented midfielder.
[James] I had someone with me who helped me a lot.
I mean Dani, of course.
I remember I had just finished a match.
I think it was Sporting. A division game.
I was about to take a nap, and Dani called me.
She was crying, and she said, "You're going to be a dad!"
I woke up so fast.
I was 20, almost 21.
I never took that nap. No way I was gonna sleep after that.
I was so happy. I was happy because this little light was here.
And from that moment on,
well, it was a beautiful time ever since my daughter arrived.
-[interviewer] You weren't scared? -No, no.
Not at all, not at all.
[mellow music playing]
[María] Okay!
[woman] Ay!
[laughter]
[María] I had a dream about my grandmother.
And in the dream, she was with a girl, this little blond girl.
I told James, "Hey, I had a dream about a girl, a little blond girl."
And then, eight days later, he tells me, "You're gonna be a grandma."
And I was so delighted.
I mean, she's been a tremendous joy.
She's a girl who-- She's unique.
She's always been very special, ever since she was little.
-Goal! -Goal!
Now, the country's attention moves to the U-20.
Colombia will certainly have higher expectations and responsibilities
as the host nation…
[Guerrero] James was breaking out as a star.
And that's exactly when the U-20 World Cup comes along.
…James Rodríguez.
And James gets called up by Eduardo Lara. He's the rising star.
This is a hope and a dream of mine. I really hope it comes true.
Though he's just 20 years old,
he has already earned seven titles in his short career in pro football.
U-20 WORLD CUP
[Guerrero] He was cemented as a star in Colombia during that U-20 World Cup,
which we hosted.
[announcer] …to James Rodríguez. He shoots! What a goal!
Goal!
For Colombia!
[Guerrero] And I think everything really lined up for James.
It was the right moment.
He had the talent, and a coach who believed in him.
My first tryout with the national team was in October 2011,
and honestly, I wondered what took them so long.
This was after the 2011 Copa América.
I think I could have made that team.
The coach at that tournament didn't want me trying out
because he thought I was very, "very green," he said.
Then Leonel arrived.
[reporter] Leonel Álvarez was selected as the coach
for the Colombian national football team
for the qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Then, in October 2011, Leonel calls me two weeks before and says,
"How are you, man? Are you ready or not?"
"Leo, I'm good to go. I'm ready."
[reporter] The qualifiers are underway. Colombia versus the Bolivian team.
[María] He wore number 5 in that first game.
He played such a great game. He carried that team on his back.
[Guerrero] That day in La Paz,
we saw that the national team brought out something special in James Rodríguez.
Their time playing together in Porto
really set a strong foundation for James and Falcao,
so when they arrived to play for the national team, they were in sync.
[announcer] James has it. On the move, sends it to the right.
Dayro taps it. Go, Dayro, take the shot! He sends it to the center!
Falcao! Goal for Colombia!
Falcao, goal!
The Colombian team kicks off the qualifiers on the right foot.
Besides the Bolivia match, it wasn't the best start for us in the qualifiers.
After that win, I remember we drew with Venezuela
and lost to Argentina in Barranquilla.
[announcer 1] Camilo! Shoots from behind. Goal, Argentina!
[announcer 2] This is a team without leadership.
This is a team whose play reflects the timidity of its coaching staff.
It had been a long time since Colombia made it to a World Cup.
That was a rough time, right?
-Sixteen years without making a World Cup. -[woman] To a World Cup.
In those 16 years,
why did Colombia always miss out by a single goal or a single point?
What was missing?
COLOMBIA ELIMINATED
[Ospina] There was a lot of pressure on us. We were nervous.
We felt it was our responsibility to break the World Cup drought.
The only thing we felt was fear.
The country had no confidence in the Colombian team coach.
[reporter] His departure was inevitable. It wasn't because of a lack of results.
…to terminate our contract with coach Leonel Álvarez.
[reporter] Leonel Álvarez' tenure as national team coach
lasted just four months.
[Guerrero] It was chaos after he left.
"What's going to happen now with the Colombian national team?"
[reporter] Who will save us now?
COLOMBIAN FOOTBALL FEDERATION
[clapper loader] Pékerman, take one.
I had the good fortune to spend a few years…
COACH
…playing football in Colombia with DIM.
It was my last professional team.
It might be the only team I feel something for
beyond what… what happens on the field.
[reporter] President Luis Bedoya
presented him with his own Colombian team jersey.
José Néstor Pékerman gladly received the gift,
and thanked the country for all the kindness it had shown him.
And now I was responsible for ensuring
there wouldn't be a fourth World Cup without qualifying.
And there was a lot of uncertainty.
We know there's no margin for error.
We need to quickly fine-tune and optimize the entire national team machine.
We played a practice match against Mexico, and that was when I met James in person.
I've coached many young players, and I know who's ready for bigger things.
That team was able to do great things in that qualifier.
And with Pékerman,
we were more like a professional team than a fresh national team.
[Guerrero] He does something smart.
Something that made life difficult for us in the press,
which was to cut us off from the team.
Pékerman's first match was in Lima, I think.
And I think everyone saw the change.
And I scored the goal.
That match ended 1-0. That goal gave us the win.
[announcer] And here's… James has it! What a goal!
[James] It was an exclamation mark.
Like hitting my hand on the table to say, "I'm gonna be here for a long time."
Porto, which sits atop the Portuguese league,
Today announced the partial sale
of the Colombian player James Rodríguez's signing rights.
[lively music playing]
MONACO FRANCE
[James] When I left Porto for Monaco, they were building something big.
They were bringing in great players.
When I heard that Falcao was going, I said, "Me too."
[Falcao] It was great to join forces again.
We brought our families, we both just had kids.
It was going to be an easy adjustment.
With Ranieri it was up and down.
Sometimes he'd play with him, sometimes he wouldn't.
He wanted James doing things he wasn't suited for.
[Falcao] There was a culture clash.
We'd sometimes play an offensive game because we had strong players,
but Ranieri still preferred the more defensive Italian style.
He really emphasized defense, having us play catenaccio.
I had to travel to Monaco because James was really struggling.
He was on the bench.
I told him, "James, the coach is asking you
to make some sacrifices and play more defense."
"You're a smart player."
"What you need to do now is adjust
and show that you can compromise
without giving up what you do best."
"That's your greatest strength."
"But instead, you insist on having a losing argument with the coach."
[interviewer] Everyone says you're stubborn.
They say you're hard-headed.
Sí.
JOURNALIST
So stubborn. Very driven and competitive.
FRIEND
He hates losing at anything. Even rock, paper, scissors, he won't lose.
He won't even let his daughter win.
He's very competitive.
He doesn't want anyone go get ahead of him and sometimes that works against him.
SOCCER PLAYER
So stubborn.
Oh my God, so stubborn.
SPORTS AGENT
He believes that he's always right.
But I think that was me before.
Now that I'm 33, I think… I think I've changed, uh, a little bit.
But if they all told you that, well, I think it's true.
They all think so?
I don't know how to say "stubborn" in Spanish.
Uh… it's cabezón, right?
[laughs]
That's part of your job as a coach, figuring out how to convince or motivate.
How to push each player.
I said, "Stop looking like you don't wanna be there during practice
because you're sending that message."
"Do that, and he'll play you."
Well, he started playing and performing well.
And I realized that would be the key for him on the national team.
[announcer] James for the equalizer. James shoots!
What a goal!
I used that as… as fuel to go out there and play my best.
[announcer] Hangs on, chips it in!
And James again! What a goal!
Since he was a kid,
he had that need to win and that fighting spirit,
just like he shows playing for Colombia.
[crowd cheering]
James is very inspiring when it comes to competing and playing to win.
Magnetic. It pulls people in.
[announcer] Watch out, here's Falcao! Goal for Colombia!
In those qualifiers, we won the kind of matches
Colombia had never won before.
And the name of the 22-year-old, James Rodríguez,
is becoming synonymous with talent.
He's always shown that he's not afraid of anything.
He's always chased perfection.
[María] Pékerman had confidence in James, and he did the same with the whole squad.
He knew how to protect his team. He was like a father, really.
[lively music playing]
I think his time with José Pékerman was a turning point
and showed a whole new side of James Rodríguez.
[cheering]
[reporter] José Pékerman's Colombian team faces Chile today.
They need to score once to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
The Colombian national team eyes its World Cup return
with the Argentine coach.
2014 WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
[Pékerman] It was an historic match, no?
You can imagine the… the expectations they had
playing at home, with the entire crowd wanting that moment so badly.
[evocative music playing]
With a simple draw, we would've made it.
[announcer 1] Chile attacks. Attack from behind.
Colombia takes the ball! They stop the cross!
-David Ospina back again! -[announcer 2] Penalty, the ref signals.
[announcer 1] The whistle blows.
We really struggled in that match.
Remember, this was Chile.
This was an excellent team.
[announcer 1] Vidal. Here comes Arturo!
Goal! It's in!
2014 WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
He lifts the ball with his right. Valdivia is out, and goal!
-Alexis scores, goal for Chile! -[announcer 2] Goal!
[reporter 1] In Pasto, thousands looked in horror at the score.
[reporter 2] In Santa Marta, heartbreak from the beginning over Chile's goals.
[reporter 3] The first 45 minutes were told in the faces of the fans.
[announcer] Alexis has it again. Stefan Medina goes down.
And here comes the third goal for Chile.
What was it like going into the locker room down by three?
Nobody could look each other in the eye.
Everyone stared at the floor.
[bittersweet music playing]
To pull off a comeback from that far behind,
I had to say something strong.
I told them that we had to show what we had been, what we still were.
That we could still come back.
[announcer] The ball won't go in!
[James] In the match against Chile, we were losing by three.
[announcer 1] Pablo Armero wins it. He takes the ball wide, Teo's on it!
Goal for Colombia!
One for Colombia, three for Chile!
Onward, because that's our way out of this, my fellow Colombians.
-James recovers, crosses it in. -[announcer 2] Penalty. Penalty, penalty.
[announcer 1] Penalty!
Here comes Falcao, he shoots!
What a goal!
Colombia 2, Chile 3!
I was awarded two penalties.
[announcer 2] If the first was a penalty, this one should count as two, Javier.
-[announcer 1] Skillful, James Rodríguez. -[announcer 2] He took him down.
[announcer 1] De Oliveira will blow the whistle.
Take it, Falcao.
-Falcao moves, Falcao shoots, what a goal! -[crowd cheering]
[upbeat music playing]
[ref blows whistle]
[announcer 1] There's the final whistle! Colombia is going to the World Cup!
After 16 years, we finally qualified for the World Cup.
We're making history.
There was nothing like it.
At such a young age, you bore the weight and responsibility of such a giant jersey.
What was missing for those 16 years?
The Colombian team always had talent, and Pékerman unlocked it.
[announcer] José Pékerman is on the pitch, hugging his team.
Colombia, we deserve it after 16 years.
And to be able to give something back,
this great dream of returning to the World Cup.
It was incredibly difficult to come back, but it wasn't impossible, and we did it.
[man] This is a flawless team,
and we look forward to proving that in Brazil.
We're going to the World Cup! To the World Cup!
[crowd chanting in Spanish]
Colombia's in the World Cup!
[interviewer] Were you excited to play in that World Cup?
I remember meeting you for the first time back then.
It was when you were… it was when you were injured.
[reporter] It seemed like a routine tackle,
but it was clear that it led to a serious injury.
The sudden twist of a knee that has left Colombia holding its breath.
Moments ago, Colombian player Radamel Falcao García
was taken off the field on a stretcher.
This injury could keep him out of the World Cup.
[news anchor] Falcao García might miss the World Cup.
Who could have imagined that one of our stars, Falcao,
would be injured playing in the French league,
in a minor game, too?
It was incredibly painful for him, for everyone, for us.
For the whole country.
[reporter] The player who made the tackle is devastated.
He'll never forgive himself if Falcao misses a chance to play in the World Cup.
It was sad for… for everyone. And for me too.
I went to see him at his apartment.
He was completely devastated.
[Guerrero] I kept saying, "I can't believe it."
And everyone was hoping he'd tell us that he could still be there.
I'll do whatever I can to play in the World Cup.
The World Cup was just around the corner and his recovery wasn't easy.
He was going to be cutting it very close if he was going to play at the World Cup.
Of course, I was really hoping to play in the World Cup,
but I had to be realistic about it.
I had to do things right, prioritizing my recovery first.
You can't be over-eager when it comes to the World Cup.
[reporter] For Coach Pékerman, it was a difficult decision,
which came down to the last minute.
…to inform you that Falcao will be unable to play.
It was like our only hope had been ripped away.
[reporter] The World Cup loses one of its biggest stars.
An injury stole our best scorer. The country's hero.
The other teams must have been relieved when they found out.
[Guerrero] Who's going to score for us? This is the World Cup.
I would have never guessed
that we'd have the World Cup's top scorer on our national team.
[crowd cheering]
2014 - WORLD CUP BRAZIL
[announcer] Ladies and gentlemen, please stand…
COLOMBIA VS GREECE GROUP STAGE
…for the National Anthem of Colombia.
[Colombia's National Anthem playing]
All over Brazil, at every game, the stadiums were full of Colombian fans.
What are they doing? I mean, who's back in Colombia?
Are there this many of us?
But everywhere we went, the stadiums were full of Colombian fans.
[Ospina] You'd get to the stadium, and it was a sea of yellow.
It was like we were playing at home, in front of a home crowd.
[Pékerman] We had a clear goal in mind for the World Cup.
We would make it as far as we possibly could.
James had to keep his head clear if we were going to do that.
Can you imagine people back in Colombia
rushing home from work,
wanting to get home to tune in to watch you play?
I thought about when I was a kid.
I was so excited to watch Colombia play.
I imagined there was another kid who was… feeling that same thing.
So I said, "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
"I have to make the most of it."
[latin urban music playing]
[announcer] …World Cup in Colombia three years ago.
He was the main man and he made a big money move.
And onside here.
No question of offside against Cuadrado.
He takes on the opponent and does so skillfully.
The ball is allowed to run through and it's sliced into the net!
It's Armero the fullback!
[Ospina] The team pushed past the frustration
of not having Falcao there playing with us.
It was the same feeling.
The defiance that we had for our comeback win against Chile.
"We are in the World Cup. We're here to make history."
[announcer] It's sliced through and in!
Colombia got a second goal!
[crowd cheering]
That energy kept us going.
And this was also when an important figure for the team really emerged.
Mr. James Rodríguez.
He'd been playing great,
but this was the moment when he really became our number 10.
GROUP STAGE COLOMBIA 3 - GREECE 0
I thought that I'd have a great World Cup,
but it turned out even better than I thought it would.
2014 COLOMBIA VS IVORY COAST GROUP STAGE
[announcer] It's number five for them.
It's a great header!
Colombia leads, and Brasilia erupts!
With a sublime left foot.
James Rodríguez has just shown…
Oh, a moment to lose the ball there.
So indeed, this might well be it. Is this number two for Colombia?
GROUP STAGE COLOMBIA 2 - IVORY COAST 0
I said, "Wow! This is getting interesting. I think it's about to get even better."
[clapper loader] Ancelotti interview. Take one.
["Ras tas tas Full HD" by Cali Flow Latino playing] t's about to get even better."