James Rodríguez
James David Rodríguez Rubio is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger and captains the Colombia national team. Regarded as one of the best Colombian players of all time, he has been praised for his technique, vision, and playmaking skills. He is often considered the successor to his compatriot Carlos Valderrama.
Starting his career at Envigado, and then moving to Argentina side Banfield, Rodríguez became well known in Europe during his time at Porto, winning several trophies and individual awards during his three years at the club. In 2014, he moved from AS Monaco to Real Madrid for a transfer fee of £63 million, beating Radamel Falcao as the most expensive Colombian football player and one of the most expensive players at the time. In his debut season, he was named in the La Liga Team of the Season and won La Liga Best Midfielder. In 2017, he signed for German club Bayern Munich on a two-year loan deal. In the summer of 2020, he signed for Premier League club Everton on a free transfer, staying there for one season before joining Qatar's Al-Rayyan and Greece's Olympiacos in 2021 and 2022, respectively. In 2023, 13 years after leaving South America, he returned to the continent by joining Brazilian club São Paulo. A month after his departure from São Paulo in July 2024, Rodríguez returned briefly to Europe with Rayo Vallecano before joining Mexican club León in 2025.
Rodríguez started his international career with the Colombia under-20 team, with which he won the 2011 Toulon Tournament. He then captained the U-20 team during the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Due to his performance in the tournament, he was regularly called into the senior squad by the age of 20. He played in the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cup, winning the Golden Boot in 2014 and being included in the Cup's All Star Team. He also represented his nation at the Copa América in 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2024, winning a third-place medal in 2016 and reaching the final in 2024, the latter in which he received the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player.
Club career
Envigado
Born in Cúcuta, Norte de Santander, Rodríguez spent his childhood in the city of Ibagué, Tolima. He was born to ex-footballer Wilson James Rodríguez Bedoya and Maria Del Pilar Rubio.Rodríguez started his professional career in 2006 with Colombian club Envigado. Although the club suffered relegation at the end of the year, he and Gio Moreno played key roles in helping the team secure promotion by winning the 2007 Primera B title on penalties. He became the second youngest Colombian player to start a professional match, playing his first match on 21 May 2006, at the age of 14.
Banfield
2008
In February 2008, Rodríguez was signed by Argentine team Banfield, and played a year with the club's youth teams. He made his first team debut on 7 February 2009 and became the youngest foreigner in Argentine football history in the process. He scored his first goal for the club on 27 February with a long range strike in a 3–1 victory over Rosario Central. He finished his first season with a goal in 11 appearances.2009
In 2009, Rodríguez became a regular first-team player, featuring in every game of the Apertura 2009. At just 17, he became the youngest foreigner to score a goal in Argentina. His second goal for Banfield came on 26 September, when he scored with a strike into the top corner from outside of the area in an important 2–1 win against Newell's Old Boys, a victory that helped Banfield win the Argentine championship for the first time in the club's history.In December 2009, Italian club Udinese planned to make a bid for Rodríguez for a reported €5 million after the 2010 Copa Libertadores. However, Banfield rejected the bid, labelling it as "insufficient".
For the Clausura 2010, on 13 February 2010, Rodríguez scored a golazo in the match against archrivals Lanús with a left-footed lob to make the game 2–0 in the final minutes. After the game, daily sports website Diario Olé compared his playing and personal style to Cristiano Ronaldo and nicknamed him the "James Bond of Banfield".
2010
On 10 February 2010, Rodríguez scored his first Copa Libertadores goal in a 2–1 home victory over Mexican club Monarcas Morelia. He added to his glowing reputation a week later with a goal in a daunting victory over Copa Libertadores group rivals Deportivo Cuenca away from home, scoring the fourth goal of the 4–1 victory with a nice left-footed finish in the box. His wonderful scoring season continued with a brace in the Copa Libertadores group match away to Uruguayan club Nacional on 10 March. Rodríguez scored first with a diving header and then from the penalty spot in a 2–2 draw. The 18-year-old netted another goal against Brazilian club Internacional on 29 April 2010 in the first leg of the 2010 Copa Libertadores round 16, which Banfield won 3–1. This goal brought his tally to five goals in seven games. However, Rodríguez' international season ended in defeat as his team went down on away goals with a 0–2 defeat in Porto Alegre in the second leg, in which he was red carded for two fouls.Porto
2010–11 season
On 6 July 2010, Rodríguez was signed by Porto for €5.1 million, with 30% economic rights retained by other parties. He signed a four-year contract with a €30 million release clause. Porto later re-sold 10% economic rights to third parties. On 18 July, he played his first game and scored his first goal in a friendly against Ajax. In November, Porto sold 35% economic rights to Gol Football Luxembourg, S.A.R.L. for €2.5 million.On 15 December 2010, Rodríguez scored his first competitive goal during a 3–1 Europa League home victory against Bulgarian club CSKA Sofia. On 17 May, Porto bought the remaining 30% economic rights from Convergence Capital Partners B.V. for €2.25 million and once again hold more than half of the economic rights with 55%. He scored a hat-trick and assisted once against Vitória de Guimarães in the 2011 Taça de Portugal Final, which Porto won 6–2.
On 13 June, Rodríguez signed a new five-year contract in which the release clause increased to €45 million. He finished the 2010–11 season with six goals and eight assists in 31 appearances. He also took home four trophies: the Super Cup title, the league title, the Europa League title, and the Cup title as Porto had a historic season.
2011–12 season
In the 2011–12 season, Rodríguez scored 14 goals for Porto and delivered 11 assists. In 2011, he won the LPFP Award for Breakthrough Player of 2011–12 Primeira Liga season at age 20, becoming the first Colombian player to do so. He is a two-time winner of the SJPF Player of the Month. He won the Portuguese Golden Ball award in 2012, becoming the second Colombian to win the award after Radamel Falcao as well as the youngest player ever to hold the honour. On 20 September 2011 in a league match against Feirense, he punched Rabiola and was subsequently dismissed, missing the match against Benfica.2012–13 season
In the 2012–13 season, Rodríguez was given the number 10 shirt and became a regular starter. Since fellow Colombians Radamel Falcao, Fredy Guarín and Brazilian Hulk left the club during the last two seasons, Rodríguez was able to start more regularly than before. In a match against Olhanense on 1 September, he scored a chip from a tight angle. In the same game, he assisted compatriot Jackson Martínez with a through ball for an eventual 3–2 win. He scored the team's third goal against Beira-Mar soon after assisting the first two goals in a 4–0 victory on 22 September.In the 2012–13 UEFA Champions League group stage, he scored against French club Paris Saint-Germain in a 1–0 victory, allowing Porto to top their current group. A few days later, Rodríguez scored a penalty against rivals Sporting CP. Because of his great start to the 2012–13 season, he won the SJPF Player of the Month award for August/September. In the Champions League against Dinamo Kyiv on 24 October, he assisted Jackson Martínez to an eventual 3–2 home victory. He scored Porto's last two goals in a 5–0 win over Marítimo on 2 November. In the 90th minute against Braga, Rodríguez scored a goal in an eventual 2–0 away victory.
Prior to the second half of the season, he suffered a hamstring injury causing him to struggle to maintain fitness. In a match against Nacional on 5 January, he injured his hamstring once more and was subsequently substituted after the first half. The injury sidelined him for a month. On 1 February 2013, Porto bought back 35% economic rights of Rodríguez from Gol Football Luxembourg for €8.75 million, which Porto sold in November 2010 for €2.5 million.
Rodríguez made his return at the 70th minute in the 2–0 victory over Beira-Mar on 23 February, his first match since being injured for more than a month. In his second league match since his return, he assisted a goal against Rio Ave with a wonderful cross. On 8 March, he assisted a goal against Estoril from a corner in a 2–0 victory. It was Rodríguez' first start in two months. He did not start in the second leg of the Champions League match against Málaga until the second half when Porto was down to ten men after the dismiss of a defender. Porto lost the match and coach Vítor Pereira was greatly criticized and questioned why Rodríguez did not start sooner, considering that the player was a key member and Porto could have had a more solid team. Rodríguez expressed his disappointment, claiming to be "100%" in good health. However, he also expressed his respect and understanding to the coach's concern. Despite an exit from the Champions League, Rodríguez went on to become the second-most fouled player in the tournament that year.
Manchester United reportedly made a bid for €30 million to purchase Rodríguez, though Porto rejected the offer as being too low. He scored his first Taça da Liga goal, a penalty, in the 2012–13 Taça da Liga semi-final against Rio Ave. Porto won the match 4–0 and advanced to the final. In the final on 13 April, Porto lost 1–0 to Braga, with Rodríguez playing 75 minutes. Five days before the final, he gave a man of the match performance against Braga, scoring the first goal and assisting two in a 3–1 victory.
In the final match of the season against Paços de Ferreira on 19 May, Rodríguez was tripped inside the box and secured a penalty that was later scored by Lucho Gonzalez, which contributed to the 2–0 victory that led to Porto's third consecutive league title. In all competitions that season, he scored 13 goals and provided 15 assists in 32 appearances. Winning the league title meant that Rodríguez, at 21, won his eighth trophy since joining the club three years prior.