There is no bigger stage in sport than the FIFA World Cup.Every four years, the entire world comes to a standstill to watch the very best footballing nations battle it out for glory.It's a sporting event unlike any other and it also acts as the perfect platform for players to make themselves a household name.In 2014, James Rodriguez did just that, announcing himself to the world in a manner that few players ever have at the prestigious tournament.The silky playmaker was electrifying in his five appearances for Colombia, with his six goals winning him the coveted Golden Boot.Teams just couldn't stop him out in Brazil and there hasn't been many individual World Cup campaigns more befitting of the cliche 'the streets won't forget' than Rodriguez's 2014 masterpiece.
The headline act was, of course, his stunning volley in Colombia's 2-0 victory over South American rival Uruguay in the last-16.Rodriguez's iconic strike was absolute perfection. The range, the dip, the ball thundering off the underside off the crossbar and into the net, it was simply divine and it deservedly won the 2014 FIFA Puskas Award.But words can only go so far in describing the Colombian's work of art, so we've provided footage of that goal, as well as his five other strikes out in Brazil, for you to watch below. Enjoy!
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Memories, eh?
Rodriguez's solo goal against Japan - which was finished off with a delicious dink - was magnificent too and it's a shame that the strike has been overshadowed by the aforementioned volley against Uruguay.
Amazingly, the Everton man didn't win the Golden Ball at the 2014 World Cup and what is more, he didn't even make the top three.
Lionel Messi controversially won the award, with Thomas Muller in second and Arjen Robben in third.
But anyone who watched the entirety of the tournament will know that Rodriguez was the star of the show and his virtuoso displays were at least rewarded with a high-profile move to Real Madrid that same summer.
Yes, it didn't really work out for him in the Spanish capital, however, he has certainly made an impact at Everton in the Premier League this season after leaving Los Blancos.
But regardless of what he does or doesn't achieve in the remaining years of his career, the 29-year-old will always be remembered fondly for those few weeks in 2014 in which he was football's biggest star.
Kudos, James.