Former Actual Madrid and Rayo Vallecano star James Rodriguez has by no means been afraid of the intense lights, and in a latest interview has made quite a lot of claims that may carry him loads of consideration. Not least implying that the Copa America received by Argentina final yr was mounted.
Rodriguez, 33, joined Rayo Vallecano on a free in the beginning of the season however barely featured underneath Inigo Perez, and left for Mexico in January, becoming a member of Membership Leon after rescinding his contract. Nonetheless he stays a fixture and star performer for Colombia. Lower than 12 months in the past he was named participant of the match as Colombia misplaced out on penalties to Argentina.
Throughout an interview with El Chiringuito, as carried by Diario AS, Rodriguez famous that not solely had Colombia had a harder draw and extra journey, however in his eyes ‘one thing unusual occurred’ with the officiating.
“As a result of exterior components, we could not be champions of America. The referee did not award two penalties, and for me, considered one of them was clear. VAR audio recordings got here out after each match, however not within the closing; one thing unusual occurred there.”
🗣️James Rodriguez (El Chiringuito) pic.twitter.com/qiV4jCFdr3
— Soccer España (@footballespana_) March 17, 2025
Any blowback he receives for these feedback he’s unlikely to see although, having taken himself off some social media to keep away from criticism.
“They used to have an effect on me, however now I don’t learn something. I haven’t seen X since 2020. I don’t use Fb; the one social media platforms I watch are Instagram and TikTok. I attempt to give attention to myself. I do know once I’m taking part in badly in a match, and once I’m doing nicely, I’m self-critical. Soccer has change into very result-oriented, since you play badly and rating a purpose or make a cross and it already looks as if you’ve performed nicely. It’s occurred to me once in a while. I want to win and play badly, after all.”
After a powerful World Cup displaying in 2014 in Brazil, Rodriguez made his identify on the worldwide stage, signing for Actual Madrid simply weeks later.
“Metropolis and PSG additionally needed me. They provided me some huge cash, very excessive salaries in comparison with these being paid proper now, however I selected Madrid as a result of Florentino known as me and mentioned: ‘Glory or silverware?’ I’ve at all times been a Actual Madrid fan; Actual Madrid is Actual Madrid. Once I arrived in Madrid, I believed: ‘How am I going to speak to Ramos, Karim, Modric, Cristiano Ronaldo, or Iker?’ However I arrived they usually had been all very calm, as if they’d performed within the neighbourhood.”
“Florentino Perez has at all times handled me nicely. I haven’t spoken to him for a very long time, however I feel I’ve at all times been considered one of his favourites. He instructed me: ‘What a disgrace,’ once I went to Bayern. I arrived when Ancelotti arrived; Kroos, Isco, Benzema, and Bale had been within the crew, and I believed he wouldn’t begin me within the first recreation as a result of I had solely educated for 5 days, and he began me; I performed 60 minutes.”
In his eyes, his first yr on the membership was comparative with Jude Bellingham’s excellent debut marketing campaign final season.
“I scored greater than 14 objectives and 15 assists, I feel. It was a spectacular yr, much like the yr Bellingham had in his first season. I actually like the way in which he performs. I feel he might win a Ballon d’Or. After all, to win the Ballon d’Or, I had Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Iniesta, Xavi, Suarez, Neymar… In 2014, I completed eighth, with these greats forward of me. Sure, I might have appreciated to win the Ballon d’Or; I got here shut, but it surely’s true that I used to be extra targeted on profitable titles just like the Champions League.”
Nonetheless the Colombian famous person fell out of the aspect underneath Rafael Benitez after the departure of Carlo Ancelotti.
“I had a disagreement with him. At first, he put me on, after which he didn’t. As soon as I got here off the sport as a result of I used to be substituted and the Bernabeu whistled the substitution, I made a gesture, and I feel he thought I’d directed the group at him. He took it the fallacious approach.”
He had no imminent plans for retiring from the sport, after a number of nomadic years passing via England, Saudi Arabia and Brazil.
“I need to play within the 2026 World Cup and see if I keep for an additional yr or two if my physique responds nicely, and if not, then not. I’ll determine after the World Cup. My daughter desires me to remain till I’m 39. It’s true that my soccer, which is extra about contact and never as bodily, I feel might assist me proceed. My daughter will kill me if I inform her I’m retiring after the World Cup. For her, I’d give it some thought.”
He would go on to confess that he doesn’t watch a lot soccer, on account of the truth that it bores him and ‘no one does something like Neymar, Messi, Cristiano or Robben did’. He did notice that he believed Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior had been his prime three gamers on the earth at present.
“Zidane was superb, he received the World Cup in his prime, however… James,” he answered when requested to choose who was higher. Rodriguez would then select himself over Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Xavi Hernandez too.
Colombia are at present fourth within the South American qualifiers desk with six video games to go, on 19 factors. With a six-point hole to Bolivia in seventh although, and 6 groups making it to the US, Canada and Mexico in 2026, it will be a significant shock if James will not be main out his aspect on the match. This worldwide break they face Brazil and Paraguay.