James Rodriguez Will Respond Well to Real Madrid Pressure

Colombian World Cup star James Rodriguez looks set to make a big-money move from Monaco to Real Madrid, and the 23-year-old has all the assets to shine for the La Liga giants.  

According to Mark Doyle on Goal.com, Los Blancos are set to unveil Rodriguez on Tuesday having completed a major deal to sign the midfielder:

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Madrid reached an agreement with Monaco over an €88 million transfer fee over the weekend and finalised personal terms with the player and his representatives on Monday.

James will now be presented to the press and Madrid fans on Tuesday, with the construction of a special stage for the ceremony at the Bernabeu already well under way.

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The reported €88 million (£70 million) transfer fee for Rodriguez would make him the fourth most expensive player in history, as per fees reported by The Telegraph, behind new teammates Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, and soon-to-be El Clasico rival Luis Suarez.

Such a huge price tag automatically puts pressure on the player to perform, especially as he will be joining the Champions League holders as they look to retain their European trophy and win La Liga.

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Further pressure will be added by the huge expectation on him, engineered by his tremendous World Cup in Brazil.

He claimed six goals to win the Golden Boot, while many viewed him as the rightful winner of the Golden Ball award ahead of Lionel Messi, including Argentina legend Diego Maradona, per The Telegraph:

However, despite all of this pressure, Rodriguez should thrive. His performances at the World Cup came under great pressure as a nation expected, and he had to fill the boots of the injured Radamel Falcao as Colombia's talisman.

Rodriguez took up the mantle admirably, performing consistently well in every game, even when Colombia were knocked out against Brazil as the hosts tried to kick him out of the match, per CNN's John Sinnott:

He showed he can perform at the highest level, which is where he will be playing when he goes to the Bernabeu.

Equally, he is very eager to join the Madrid outfit, going as far as to admit as much during the tournament in Brazil when others would have simply deflected such questioning, per Marca via Eurosport:

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It would be a dream to play for Real Madrid but at the end of it all, I respect my club who has the final say. I respect all the other teams, fans and players of other clubs but Real Madrid will always be Real Madrid. It makes me profoundly proud that a club like Real Madrid is interested in me. It's like a dream. I feel calm because I know I can play in a club like Real Madrid.

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His confidence and enthusiasm will serve him well when he arrives at the Bernabeu as he knows he can fit in with the likes of Bale and Ronaldo.

His versatility will also be key, as with the aforementioned pair unlikely to be unseated from their positions, his ability to play across the midfield—on the wings or in the No.10 role—will complement the team well. 

He is a significant creator of goals and opportunities—more so even than Bale and Ronaldo per Squawka—and will likely be happy to take a backseat in the scoring department to play where he is needed. This will benefit Madrid as a team:

Finally, and most simply, he is a brilliant player. He scored nine goals and assisted 12 last season in Ligue 1 for Monaco, per WhoScored.com, after his arrival from Porto for €45 million (£36 million).

It is no surprise that Real are willing to pay so much for him after his World Cup, and he adds to a quite frightening attacking unit.

His composure was demonstrated to the world in Brazil and a combination of his skill and temperament should see him thrive under the pressure of playing for Real. He will be a truly fine asset to Carlo Ancelotti's side.