While James Rodriguez has been struggling to assert himself into Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane’s preferred starting eleven, there’s no doubting the quality of the Colombian midfielder. His penchant for spectacular goals has left many viewers wondering just how good the talented attacker could ultimately be.
Real Madrid are reportedly only willing to sell James for roughly $85 million, with both Chelsea and Manchester United looking to foot the bill. Part of what makes James so appealing for would-be suitors is his ability to play across the midfield, provide attacking verve and pitch in with his fair share of goals. The spectacular nature of many of these goals is what introduced the 24-year-old to a global audience.
For reasons that James details in this video for Adidas, he is extremely comfortable with and skilled at hitting the ball on the volley. His 2014 World Cup volley against Uruguay ended up winning the FIFA Puskas Award for goal of the year.
After the World Cup, Real Madrid came calling and James picked up right where he left off with this stunning volley against Almeria:
So, what makes James so exceptional with regards to striking the perfect volley? Hear from the man himself:
Essentially, James emphasizes the amount of practice it takes to become comfortable with this difficult skill. Rather than it being a matter of hit and hope from distance, James is adamant that the skill is perfected through hard work and diligent training. For James, it’s become something natural, almost automatic on the pitch.
Of course, it doesn’t hurt to strike the ball extremely hard. “Most of the times, I just hit it hard,” confesses James. There you have it. Now get out there and win the Puskas.
