It’s July 2014 and James Rodriguez appears to have the football world at his feet. The Colombian is the breakout star - and top scorer - of that summer’s World Cup in Brazil and is to complete a £63m move to the club of his dreams: Real Madrid. The stage is set for the 22-year-old. He tells reporters at his unveiling at the Bernabeu, which is attended by 45,000 fans: “I hope to be happy here for a long time to come.” Fast forward six years. James, once the golden boy of world football, is forgotten and unloved. Real, his dream club, the one he dreamt about playing for as a young boy, no longer wants him. They haven’t for some time in truth. It’s why in 2017 he was sent to...
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