James Rodriguez has talent but something is wrong with his character...

Manos Staramopoulos • 10 de noviembre de 2024

The Colombian footballer could leave Rayo Vallecano as he does not have opportunities to play permanently.

James Rodríguez as a Rayo Vallecano player where he does not have continuity due to technical decisions.

Finally something is wrong with James Rodriguez. This great left-footed Colombian soccer player has a hard time adapting to the teams he goes to. He had started at Banfield with great promise. She sold him after his wonderful performances in Porto on July 6, 2010 for €16.1 million, with which he signed a 4-year contract.


Rodriguez gradually became a key player, especially after the departure of important attacking players such as Radamel Falcao, and Hulk. His contribution was instrumental in his team's third straight championship in 2013, scoring 13 goals and providing 15 assists. His name began to figure quite a lot in the European press. So in May 2013 it was the turn of French AS Monaco to pay the amount of 45 million euros (it was the second most expensive transfer in the history of Portuguese football). In his first season in the French league he was one of the best footballers and helped his team qualify for the UEFA Champions League although they lost the championship to Paris Saint-Germain.


After July 22, 2014, he signed a 6-year contract with Real Madrid, which paid the exorbitant amount of 87 million euros. He put in some good performances and on 19 August he scored his first goal for Real Madrid against Atlético Madrid in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup, coming on as a half-time substitute for Cristiano Ronaldo. He then transferred to Al Rayyan of Qatar, then returned to Europe and wore the shirt of Olympiakos as a free agent (22/9/2022) but on April 13, 2023, they terminated their cooperation by mutual consent. Then he went to Sao Paulo and this summer he signed in Spanish, Rayo Vallecano.

James Rodríguez celebrates a goal marks with AS Monaco in 2013.

Yet again James is not enjoying one of his best spells at club level as after several months signing in Spain, the Colombian international seems to be struggling to settle into his new adventure in La Liga.


Initially, as in the previous times, his inclusion caused excitement among the fans who expected him to offer important things. After all, in the recent Copa America in the summer of 2024, he was named the best soccer player and with the Colombian national team he took second place (lost in the final to Argentina). But as the weeks went by, it became clear that James Rodriguez would not be a priority for his manager, Spain's Íñigo Pérez, who quickly benched him.


Lately there have even been rumors that suggest that not only the coach does not trust the Colombian, but also his teammates. In fact, against Las Palmas (0-3) he left him out of the 11 again. Of course, in the 77th minute he used him in a desperate attempt to change the game, but all he managed to do was cause disappointment and dissatisfaction among the fans of Rayo Vallecano. It was clear that he didn't get on well with his teammates who avoided passing him the ball, choosing instead to pass it to another teammate. One understands that the climate is not pleasant for James again and it is predicted that he will leave there in January...


Manos Staramopoulos

Journalist and Analyst of International Football and Affairs

Chief Editor English Zone of Discoveryfootball.com

Athens (Greece)

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