eyewitness
COLOMBIA
“Is Everton a nice city?”
A beam of neon light pierces the Bogota night sky. An Everton blue, with the pearl white digits of 19 dancing across one side of the Colpatria Tower, radiates through the downtown area of Colombia’s capital city. Social media erupts with tweets, likes and wobbly mobile-phone videos shared of the iconic building – the third tallest in the country – now aglow with national pride. In the past, it has been adorned with an image of the Pope to mark Holiness’ visit to the South American country; now it is commemorating a figure of equal significance to Colombians.
The confirmation of James Rodriguez’s move from Real Madrid to Everton is just hours old. Yet already James-mania was again sweeping the country.
Ever since Rodriguez’s astonishing performance at the 2014 World Cup, in which he inspired a stylish Colombia side to an historic last-eight finish, the midfielder has
