For several long minutes at the end the boy wonder of Brazil 2014 stood alone in the middle of the mighty Maracana, looking up at his own face staring back at him from a giant screen, taking it all in. James Rodriguez had scored twice to send himself soaring to the top of this World Cup’s goal charts. Step down a rung Senor Messi and Herr Muller. The first, that exocet volley on the turn  from well outside the box after chesting the ball down, has to be the most magnificent of all here so far. Stand down a notch Messrs Cahill and Van Persie. Scroll down to see highlights of Colombia . Unstoppable: James Rodriguez scored the tournament's best goal as Colombia beat Uruguay . Next big thing: James Rodriguez is top of the World Cup scoring charts with five goals . The second ensured that Uruguay went home unlamented in the lurid wake of Luis Suarez. It also made certain that Master James and the rest of the boys from Bogota dance on  - some celebration that disco jig of theirs by the way  - to a quarter final against Brazil. Colombia have put a smile as wide the Copacabana beach on the face of this football spectacular. Long may it last. Although when the pulses stops racing and the cheers die down you are left to examine the reality. The starting point for putting this gem of a team from emerald city into perspective is England. Had Rooney, Gerrard and Co come through to the Maracana on Saturday night instead of Uruguay the high probability is that they would not just have been beaten but horribly embarrassed by Colombia’s Latin American skills. VIDEO Team Profile: Colombia - highlights . On target: James Rodriguez scores his second goal in the 2-0 defeat of Uruguay . Sunshine boys: Colombia's skills and personality have made them a favourite for neutrals . And although football is not an exact science of comparison, it is just as likely that had Roy Hodgson’s team been required to face the Chileans who went so agonisingly close to ending the Brazilian dream, then they would have been despatched as readily as Spain. World class: James Rodriguez has scored the best goal of the World Cup so far . The  logicial analysis  is that England were the weakest link in an unexpectedly poor group. So while we relish the ball-juggling delights and youthful exuberance of Colombia, their excursion to Fortaleza on Friday may be as far as they go. Brazil are not setting their homeland alight as of yet but they were marginally better than Chile and withstood the enormous pressure of that penalty shoot-out to keep the World Cup alive and the socio-economic protesters on the back burner. Do not expect Colombia to give them quite such a torrid time. As the modern game’s heirs to the good old-fashioned ball dribblers of yesteryear they are a handful for anyone. But they are not possessed of the slick, angled running without possession which is  at the crux of that bewildering one-touch inter-passing, the hall-mark of the best teams in this tournament. Colombia are a collection of richly talented individuals, each of whom is eager for the most part to try to win games on his own. They did combine together brilliantly to create Rodriguez’s second goal but such collaboration is not their stock in trade. Of all possible opponents in the last eight, Brazil have to be the most daunting for Colombia. Not only because they the favourites and have home advantage but because they grew up among ball jugglers like these and consequently understand how to cope with them better than any other football nation. Still, it will be fun watching Colombia carry it to them. VIDEO Memorable Matches: Colombia v Chile . Big ask: Colombia face a tough challenge of beating Brazil in their home country . Rodriquez the 22-year-old prodigy is but one of half a dozen players capable of running any defender ragged. Martinez, Gutierrez, Cuadrado and full backs Zuniag and Armero also gave Uruguay fits. But they play a game to which Brazil are long accustomed and onto which Big Phil Scolari has soldered on some contemporary, steel-tipped organisation. Rodriguez has arrived today and is a stellar prospect for a glittering future. Whether or not tomorrow can come as quickly as this Friday, we should all  enjoy Colombia while we can. VIDEO Valderrama on Colombia .
James Rodriguez scored the best goal of World Cup so far against Uruguay .
Monaco forward leads World Cup scoring charts with five goals .
Colombia defeated Uruguay 2-0 to reach the quarter-finals in Brazil .
Los Cafeteros face a tough challenge of beating home favourites Brazil .
For several long minutes at the end the boy wonder of Brazil 2014 stood alone in the middle of the mighty Maracana, looking up at his own face staring back at him from a giant screen, taking it all in. James Rodriguez had scored twice to send himself soaring to the top of this World Cup’s goal charts. Step down a rung Senor Messi and Herr Muller. The first, that exocet volley on the turn  from well outside the box after chesting the ball down, has to be the most magnificent of all here so far. Stand down a notch Messrs Cahill and Van Persie. Scroll down to see highlights of Colombia . Unstoppable: James Rodriguez scored the tournament's best goal as Colombia beat Uruguay . Next big thing: James Rodriguez is top of the World Cup scoring charts with five goals . The second ensured that Uruguay went home unlamented in the lurid wake of Luis Suarez. It also made certain that Master James and the rest of the boys from Bogota dance on  - some celebration that disco jig of theirs by the way  - to a quarter final against Brazil. Colombia have put a smile as wide the Copacabana beach on the face of this football spectacular. Long may it last. Although when the pulses stops racing and the cheers die down you are left to examine the reality. The starting point for putting this gem of a team from emerald city into perspective is England. Had Rooney, Gerrard and Co come through to the Maracana on Saturday night instead of Uruguay the high probability is that they would not just have been beaten but horribly embarrassed by Colombia’s Latin American skills. VIDEO Team Profile: Colombia - highlights . On target: James Rodriguez scores his second goal in the 2-0 defeat of Uruguay . Sunshine boys: Colombia's skills and personality have made them a favourite for neutrals . And although football is not an exact science of comparison, it is just as likely that had Roy Hodgson’s team been required to face the Chileans who went so agonisingly close to ending the Brazilian dream, then they would have been despatched as readily as Spain. World class: James Rodriguez has scored the best goal of the World Cup so far . The logicial analysis  is that England were the weakest link in an unexpectedly poor group. So while we relish the ball-juggling delights and youthful exuberance of Colombia, their excursion to Fortaleza on Friday may be as far as they go. Brazil are not setting their homeland alight as of yet but they were marginally better than Chile and withstood the enormous pressure of that penalty shoot-out to keep the World Cup alive and the socio-economic protesters on the back burner. Do not expect Colombia to give them quite such a torrid time. As the modern game’s heirs to the good old-fashioned ball dribblers of yesteryear they are a handful for anyone. But they are not possessed of the slick, angled running without possession which is  at the crux of that bewildering one-touch inter-passing, the hall-mark of the best teams in this tournament. Colombia are a collection of richly talented individuals, each of whom is eager for the most part to try to win games on his own. They did combine together brilliantly to create Rodriguez’s second goal but such collaboration is not their stock in trade. Of all possible opponents in the last eight, Brazil have to be the most daunting for Colombia. Not only because they the favourites and have home advantage but because they grew up among ball jugglers like these and consequently understand how to cope with them better than any other football nation. Still, it will be fun watching Colombia carry it to them. VIDEO Memorable Matches: Colombia v Chile . Big ask: Colombia face a tough challenge of beating Brazil in their home country . Rodriquez the 22-year-old prodigy is but one of half a dozen players capable of running any defender ragged. Martinez, Gutierrez, Cuadrado and full backs Zuniag and Armero also gave Uruguay fits. But they play a game to which Brazil are long accustomed and onto which Big Phil Scolari has soldered on some contemporary, steel-tipped organisation. Rodriguez has arrived today and is a stellar prospect for a glittering future. Whether or not tomorrow can come as quickly as this Friday, we should all  enjoy Colombia while we can. VIDEO Valderrama on Colombia .
James Rodriguez scored the tournament's best goal Rodriguez is top of the World Cup scoring charts with five goals . The second ensured that Uruguay the best goal of the World Cup so far . The Chile . Big ask: Colombia face a tough challenge of beating Brazil in their home country .