James Rodriguez: Will Colombia's 2014 World Cup star return to his best form at Everton?

James Rodriguez, Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure set to transform the midfield as Carlo Ancelotti's Everton evolution steps up

It is now over six years since James Rodriguez chested the ball up for himself and crashed a stunning volley in off the underside of the bar against Uruguay at the 2014 World Cup. Since then the great Colombian hope has struggled to consistently meet the high expectations placed upon him.

With that volley winning the Puskas award for best goal of the year in world football and five other strikes earning him the World Cup's Golden Boot, James was primed to become a global star. His first season at Real Madrid suggested the Spanish team had got their hands on a player who would shine for years to come.

But despite 13 goals and 13 assists in Spain's top flight in 2014/15, a place in La Liga's team of the year, and being named the competition's best midfielder, James became a peripheral figure the following season under new head coach Zinedine Zidane. Real had fallen short in La Liga and the Champions League and the Frenchman overhauled the side to turn them into European champions. James had to make way.

There have been flashes of James' quality since then - particularly during the first season of a two-year loan deal at Bayern Munich - but, after another wasted season out of the frame under Zidane at Real Madrid, there is an intriguing question hanging over his transfer to Everton: can he recapture his best form again?

It is not an easy one to answer, especially with evidence of his current level hard to find. After all, he made just five starts in La Liga last season. But at 29-years-old, James still has time on his side and South American football expert Tim Vickery, who has monitored his journey, believes the attacking midfielder still has quality in his locker.

"He's been a victim of stockpiling," Vickery told Sky Sports News. "There's only so many players that can be important in the Real Madrid line-up. But he's a very, very classy player. ผลบอล7M

"Perhaps not quick enough, not with the express pace to fit into the Real Madrid system, but at Everton he's got everything he wants."

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