James Rodriguez Listed as Absent for Colombia vs. England Due to Calf Injury

Colombia's 2018 FIFA World Cup hopes suffered a blow on Tuesday after James Rodriguez was ruled out of their last-16 clash with England due to injury. 

James Olley at the Evening Standard shared the team sheet which showed Rodriguez was not fit enough for the bench:

The Bayern Munich star was forced out of Colombia's 1-0 win over Senegal with a calf injury and does not appear to have recovered in time to face the Three Lions.

Manager Jose Pekerman said before the game that Rodriguez had undergone an MRI scan which showed the injury was not serious, per Joe Shread at Sky Sports.

It is not yet clear how long Rodriguez is expected to be out for. Colombia must beat England to remain in the tournament and defeat on Tuesday will mean elimination.

Rodriguez is one of Colombia's most important players and won the Golden Boot at the 2014 World Cup after finishing as the tournament's top scorer.

The attacking midfielder is a goal threat for his country, and his invention is a key part of Colombia's attack. Squawka Football highlighted his effectiveness:

Rodriguez arrived at the World Cup on the back of a strong season at Bayern Munich, having joined the German giants on a two-year loan from Real Madrid in the summer of 2017.

Pekerman must now try to cope without his talisman against England. The onus will likely fall on Juan Fernando Quintero and striker Radamel Falcao to carry Colombia's hopes in Russia.