Real Madrid playmaker James Rodriguez has been named as the Latin American sportsman of the year by the AIPS (International Association of Latin American Sports Journalists).
The 22-year-old shot to fame at the World Cup this summer, where he starred for Colombia. He was the tournament’s top scorer with six goals in five appearances, including the goal of the tournament – a 30 yard volley against Uruguay.
Much talk had already been made about a move from Monaco to the Santiago Bernabeu prior to the tournament, but his star displays in Brazil convinced Florentino Perez to shell out 80 million euros on the player to bring him to the Spanish capital.
Since his arrival, Rodriguez has been instrumental in the 22-game winning run currently being enjoyed by the team right now. He has also managed to pick up two trophies already – helping his side to success in the European Super Cup and the Club World Cup.
A statement on the Real Madrid club website praised the Colombian for his superb year. It read: “The Real Madrid footballer was Colombia’s key player during the World Cup in Brazil, where he picked up the Golden Boot for scoring six times and getting the goal of the tournament. He has won the European Super Cup and the Club World Cup with Real Madrid, notching up 9 goals and 8 assists.”
