There appeared little danger when Juan Caudrado directed a looping header towards James Rodriguez, whose back was to goal on the edge of the box, 28 minutes into Colombia’s quarter-final against Uruguay at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™. Yet two touches from heaven, and just two seconds later, Fernando Muslera’s net had rippled and the Maracana had exploded.
Rodriguez exquisitely chested the ball over his head, swiveled instantly and unleashed a venomous, dipping volley which crashed in off the underside of the crossbar in front of over 70,000.
That strike has now been voted as the Goal of the Tournament by over four million FIFA.com users, beating Robin van Persie’s genial header for the Netherlands against Spain into second place.
Rodriguez became the third successive South American winner of the award, after Argentina’s Maxi Rodriguez triumphed for his thunderbolt against Mexico at Germany 2006 and Diego Forlan was rewarded for his sublime effort for Uruguay in the third-place play-off at South Africa 2010.
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Source: FIFA