Rodriguez breaks Messi’s Copa record

Colombia's attacking midfielder James Rodriguez claimed his sixth assist against Uruguay in their Copa America 2024 semifinal on Thursday (Bangladesh time), becoming the player registering the most assists in a single campaign in the competition's history.

He broke Lionel Messi's record of most assists in a single Copa America campaign, with the Argentina captain having bagged five during Albiceleste's title-winning campaign in 2021.

At the Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina, Jefferson Lerma rose majestically above Jose Maria Gimenez and powerfully headed home Rodriguez's corner to seal 1-0 victory for Colombia as well a place in the final of the Copa America for the first time in 23 years.

Rodriguez started Copa America 2024 with two assists in Colombia's first group match against Paraguay. He then bagged one against Costa Rica and two again in their quarterfinal clash against Panama.

With four participations in the continental competition (2015, 2016, 2019 and 2024), the No.10 of the Colombian national team is going through a great moment in his sporting career that could be crowned on Sunday at the Hard Rock Stadium, where they will face off defending champions Argentina in the final.