The next James Rodríguez? Why Como’s Nico Paz could light up the World Cup for Argentina

It was the sign of pure confidence that James Rodriguez scored that goal at the 2014 World Cup. Most wouldn't have tried it. Watch the goal again - the chest, the wait, the volley into the top corner - and there were perhaps three easier moves. He could have played it into the path of two more advanced strikers. He could have headed back to his defender. Some might have brought the ball down, taken a touch, and played from there.

But James? No, he swung a wonderfully controlled left leg and sent the ball flying into the top corner. It won a Puskas award and was the perfect encapsulation of one of the great World Cup individual tournaments - a player operating with not only immense talent but pure fearlessness. No one could tell him what to do. And Colombia thrived as a result.

Within six weeks, the attacking midfielder was on a plane to Madrid. It would be inaccurate to claim that Rodriguez was an unknown quantity who popped out of nowhere. At the time, he was a promising attacking midfielder in his early 20s playing for a good Monaco side. He had moved for €45 million the previous summer. Most people knew that this guy was going to be good. But six goals at the World Cup, Real Madrid within weeks, good? Few would have banked on that. And let's be honest, a comparatively small percentage of football fans might have tracked his career, especially in the days before social media scouting had truly broken its way into the mainstream consciousness.

Since then, there has been a thirst for the next guy. The next one with a magical strike and captivating mercurial presence. It's a hard thing to come by. There is nowhere to hide anymore. Football is globalized. Talent is clear, and those who watch the sport know not only who the biggest names are, but also which players could be ones to watch.

And with that, enter Argentina's Nico Paz, who could be the World Cup's next Rodriguez, 12 years on....

The soccer world has changed radically since Rodriguez burst onto the scene. There are very few unknown quantities who are signed based on major tournament performances alone. Some of those to have earned moves in recent years - Sofyan Ambrabat, Aleksandr Golovin, Randal Kolo Muani, Cody Gakpo - haven't worked out in full. In effect, it is very hard to be James Rodriguez in 2026.

Yet there are still Moises Caicedo, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, and Aurelien Tchouameni - all of whom have established themselves as top European talents over the years. All of them were impactful in the 2022 World Cup and are now playing at the highest levels of the game for trophy-winning teams. There are, indeed, exceptions to be found.

It's true, too, that teams can be wary of one-tournament wonders. Some players just get hot at the right time, or thrive off individual matchups. Others, such as England's Jordan Pickford, turn up for their country over short bursts in a way that they simply cannot for their club. There is no real way to project if that form will carry over.

There is perhaps one issue, though, in Paz's nationality. He plays for the Argentina national team, where many eagle-eyed viewers of the sport might have noticed is also the country of Lionel Messi. There is only room for one mercurial superstar here, and he's the one with eight Ballons d'Or. The Albiceleste, typically, demand a group that will put in the hard yards for the good of their captain.

And while that may be true, there is also room for creativity elsewhere on this side. Angel Di Maria, for one, was a key part of the 2022 World Cup-winning side - and walked away from the international game following the 2024 Copa America triumph. Julian Alvarez has also made an impact for the team alongside Messi, or in advanced midfield areas. And Paz has shown in brief stints that he can share the pitch with Messi in a similar way. The two have combined effectively in friendlies, while Paz has also been a willing runner when called upon to be a more industrious presence.

Of course, this all rather generously assumes that Messi will still suit up for Argentina in the upcoming World Cup. The Inter Miami star is yet to fully commit to playing for his national side at the tournament. And even if that looks likely, Messi has not guaranteed his inclusion. The stage could be set, then, for Paz to shine.

The kicker in all of this? Paz is technically owned by Real Madrid. The Argentine came out of the La Fabrica academy, and earned some rather generous comparisons to Zinedine Zidane during his youth days. He has already made four appearances for Los Blancos, and the club reportedly holds a club-friendly €9 million buyback clause on the Argentine.

Yet he's not the only one who might make their mark in a similar way. Gilberto Mora, the 17-year-old who plays for Club Tijuana, is expected to be a central presence for Mexico - and could be on his way to greener pastures with a good performance in the tournament.

Sota Kitano has impressed for Salzburg this season and is expected to play a key role for Japan. The fact that he plays in the Red Bulls system signals that an RB Leipzig move is perhaps inevitable, but a more eye-catching showing could lead to another big club making a bid for the 22-year-old. There is also a case to be made for teenage center back Noahkai Banks, who has been in fine form for Augsburg and could earn a starting spot for the USMNT.

Either way, the point remains: there are plenty of good young players to watch here. And sure, many are known commodities. Yet it's important to remember that Rodriguez, at the time of the 2014 World Cup, played for Monaco. Mac Allister and Caicedo played for Brighton in 2022. Fernandez was a Benfica player. Gakpo was tearing up the Eredivisie for PSV. These tournaments, then, nowadays, are forums for those who are already impressive to truly shine.

Paz might not be a breakout star in a traditional sense. But those who have preceded him weren't unknown, either. Instead, this could be the summer where he, like Rodriguez, takes over a tournament.

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