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27 April 2022
When James Rodriguez led Colombia to the title in 2011
Back in the Maurice Revello Tournament in 2022 eight years after their last participation, Colombia is one of the most iconic nations in the history of the Tournament. Thirteen appearances, three titles, dozens of senior internationals, and a host of other achievements... Los Cafeteros have always taken the competition seriously and many of their players have made their mark. The 2011 edition is the perfect illustration of this: a final victory achieved by a team composed of nine future internationals. Among them was one of the most talented players to have come through the tournament, James Rodriguez. Flashback on a great year for Colombian football in Provence.
He is 31st in our top 100 of the greatest players to have passed through the Tournament. That shows how many illustrious footballers the Tournament has welcomed in its fifty-year history. At 30 years of age, James Rodriguez is one of them, thanks to a rich if sometimes irregular career. In 2011, the attacking midfielder arrived in Provence with a Colombian team full of talent. In addition to the playmaker, other future internationals such as Santiago Arias, Edwin Cardona, Luis Muriel and Duvan Zapata make up the South American squad. Los Cafeteros will be making their eleventh appearance in the competition and will be hoping to win a third title after those of 1999 and 2000.
To do so, they must first get through an extremely tough group with Portugal, Italy and Côte d'Ivoire. It was against the Lusitanians that Colombia began their competition at the end of May 2011 at the Stade Mayol. In a tight match, the two teams could not manage to separate themselves. Captain James Rodriguez, who had already scored, responded to Baldé's challenge and earned his team a point (1-1). A timid start for the Colombians. It was not until the second group match that they got their tournament underway.
James Rodriguez, Colombia captain, against Adrien Trebel and Kalidou Koulibaly among France
At the Stade Louis Hon in Saint-Raphaël, Colombia faced an Ivory Coast team beaten by Italy on the first matchday. James and his team made short work of their opponents. Thanks to goals from the Colombian captain, Bedoya, who scored twice, and Muriel, they beat the Africans (4-1) and took advantage of the 1-1 draw between Portugal and Italy to take the lead in Group A. They will never leave it again. Not even after the draw against the Italians on the last day (1-1). Heading for the semi-final.
For this last step before the final, Colombia meet a nation they know well, Mexico. In Mayol, the two teams from America offer an intense and very disputed opposition. In this game, it is the Colombians who win. Despite a goal from the Mexican Izazola, they won thanks to Valencia and Bedoya and went on to the final (2-1). In the other semi-final, France beat Italy and also secured their ticket (1-0).
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Line-ups of France-Colombia final
On 10 June 2011 at Mayol, it is a new final between the host of the Tournament and one of the major nations in the history of the competition. Facing the Cafeteros, the Beuets have a team made up of several future internationals such as Kalidou Koulibaly with... Senegal, and Florentin Pogba with... Guinea! The final was hotly contested and the two contenders were unable to win for a long time. It was finally in the 50th minute that Steeven Joseph-Monrose gave the French the lead. Colombia were forced to chase the score and then came up against a French wall. But the repeated assaults of Eduardo Lara's men finally bore fruit. Two minutes before the final whistle, Duvan Zapata equalised.
The two teams had to go to penalties to decide the winner. With their confidence boosted by the equaliser, Colombia won the shoot-out three penalties to one and secured their third title in the competition. James Rodriguez, the revelation of the tournament, was voted the best player of the tournament without question, as the Colombian captain dazzled the competition with his talent. The next step was just as beautiful for the native of Cúcuta, who successively played for FC Porto, Monaco, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Everton. There is no doubt that James deserves his place in the top 100...
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James Rodriguez and his team mates with the Maurice Revello Tournament trophy
Mathieu Lauricella
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