Sky Is the Limit for Jese, Who Scored in Real Madrid Comeback

Jese Rodriguez might have gone to the World Cup.

Spain manager Vicente del Bosque admitted as much last March when he told Marca that the forward "could potentially have traveled" to Brazil with the then-reigning world and European champions.

They certainly could have used him.

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Between January and February, as Real Madrid competed on three fronts, the 21-year-old emerged as an important contributor for Los Blancos, at one point scoring in four successive matches in La Liga and the Copa del Rey.

The string of performances, in which he exhibited the pace, technical expertise and finishing ability that had long marked him out as a future star, vaulted him into the Spain conversation, which is why Del Bosque was devastated when he tore his anterior cruciate ligament in a Champions League contest against Schalke.

"His injury is a terrible thing," remarked the former Madrid and Besiktas boss, according to Sky Sports. "Now he has to work hard, come out well from a good operation and return as soon as possible."

It was a long way back—eight months, in fact. But after seeing reputed German surgeon Ulrich Boenisch, as revealed by Marca, and continuing his rehabilitation through the summer and autumn, Jese finally made his Madrid return on Tuesday against Cornella.

His impact was almost immediate.

After replacing Javier Munoz just after the hour-mark, Jese imposed himself in the Madrid attack and found the back of the net in the 77th minute.

"

Jese scores on his return https://t.co/54iwsyaQeF

— The Footy Arena (@thefootyarena) December 2, 2014"

It was the fifth goal of Madrid's 5-0 romp at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, but it was enough for an elated celebration that carried him to the touchline, where he was embraced by his manager and team-mates.

The question now, as the adrenaline of the comeback wears off, is whether he can turn the momentum of the performance into Carlo Ancelotti's first-team plans and Del Bosque's Spain set-up.

Both men, it goes without saying, will now have something to think about.

Ancelotti, for example, will welcome the cover provided his forward line. With Jese competent down both flanks as well as at the centre-forward position, and even the false-nine role he excelled in during his time with the club's Castilla outfit, the Italian can perhaps afford to rest the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in the early rounds of the Copa del Rey.

At the very least he's suddenly added another asset to a side that is crushing all who come against it—something that will bolster either Madrid's roster or their bank account, depending how things play out.

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Del Bosque, meanwhile, could prove to be rather more desperate for Jese's services than Ancelotti given La Roja's sudden lack of magic.

Since going out of the World Cup at the group stage, Spain have lost three of the seven matches they've played, including an embarrassing 2-1 defeat to Slovakia in Euro 2016 qualifying.

Xavi Hernandez, Xabi Alonso and David Villa have all retired from international duty, and Andres Iniesta is the wrong side of 30.

And with Diego Costa yet to make an impact and the likes of Fernando Torres, Roberto Soldado and Alvaro Negredo having played their way out of contention, there's an obvious opening for a game-breaker in Del Bosque's squad, never mind a breath of fresh air as a new generation of Spain internationals looks to replace their legendary predecessors who won everything in sight before becoming stale.

Jese can be that player, even if his return to first-team action is only 27 minutes old and the process of regaining match fitness just beginning.

He's already been an attacking force at the highest level, and while his spell of prominence was cut short by injury, the preview—which we were treated to again on Tuesday—has been more than enough to create wild anticipation for the full production.