James Rodríguez Remains Colombia's Pillar Despite Club Career Instability

James Rodríguez, born in Cúcuta in 1991, continues to be a cornerstone of Colombia's national team despite an inconsistent career across various clubs. After leaving Real Madrid, where he reached a peak market value of €80 million, the midfielder has played for numerous teams including Bayern Munich, Everton, AS Monaco, and most recently Minnesota United in MLS. His club career has been marked by instability, but his performance with the Colombian national team has remained consistently strong.

Rodríguez is Colombia's second-most capped player with 126 international appearances, trailing only goalkeeper David Ospina's 130 caps. Since his debut on November 11, 2011, at age 20, he has scored 31 goals for Colombia, making him the country's second-highest scorer behind Radamel Falcao García's 36 goals. He has been particularly prolific in World Cups, scoring six goals—the most by any Colombian player—and providing four assists across multiple tournament appearances. In the 2014 Brazil World Cup, he was the tournament's top scorer, also winning the Puskás Award for a spectacular goal against Uruguay.

At the Copa América 2024, Rodríguez led Colombia to the final while being named the tournament's best player and top assist provider. He was instrumental in Colombia's qualification for the 2026 World Cup, appearing in 18 qualifying matches with 3 goals and 7 assists—leading his team in creative output. In February 2026, he joined Major League Soccer's Minnesota United with a clear objective: to gain match minutes before the World Cup. Currently valued at €1.5 million on the transfer market, Rodríguez views the upcoming World Cup as the culmination of his career.

Throughout his career, Rodríguez has played across major leagues in Argentina, Portugal, France, Spain, and Germany, but considers the Colombian national team his true home. His participation in upcoming competitions represents his final chapter, as he aims to exceed his performance from Brazil 2014 and lead Colombia deeper into the tournament than their previous quarterfinal exit.