Second try? James Rodriguez opens up door to La Liga return

James Rodriguez, who used to play for Real Madrid, might be open to playing in La Liga again before he retires.

During the 2014 World Cup, the Colombian forward turned heads with some eyecatching performances for his country. He ended up moving to Real Madrid for $81 million as a result.

Many people thought that Rodriguez would become a world-class player after the deal and help Real Madrid win big titles. It regrettably never happened, though.

While playing in Madrid, the midfielder won two La Liga titles and two UEFA Champions League trophies. He was a very expensive player, but he never played regularly for the first team.

James turned back years in Spain win

Following a loan stint at Bayern Munich, he joined Everton in the Premier League. He then went on to play in Qatar and Greece before returning to Brazil in 2023. But Rodriguez played superbly in Colombia‘s 1-0 win over Spain in London not long ago, reliving simpler times.

His play made a difference, even though he has been having trouble with staying longer at clubs lately. The 32-year-old’s appearance in the 45th minute showed how talented he is, and it ended with a vital assist on a goal that won Colombia’s win.

Under coach Nestor Lorenzo, Colombia has gone an amazing number of games without losing, and Rodriguez has been a key part of that. The manager even said many good things about Rodriguez’s work and was optimistic about his future results.

“James is a great player, very unique. We thought it would be ideal that he came on for the second half and he did really well”, he said, via The Athletic. “We all know what he has to offer, it does not surprise me. Hopefully, he can play more club football now and come to the national team with 90 minutes in him.”

What did James Rodriguez say?

Although he is in his early fourth decade, Rodriguez could still be a very important player for Colombia in upcoming tournaments like the Copa America. He will always be remembered for how talented he is and how important he is to his country’s soccer goals.

Following the friendly game against Spain, the star stated that he is open to spending one last season in their La Liga.

“When you play for the national team you have to play well. In the future, why would I not be able to return to La Liga, a league which I always enjoyed playing in”, he said, via Diario AS.

Last year, the player said that Real Madrid wasn’t the only team that wanted to sign him in 2024. Additionally, both Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City were interested in signing him.

Officially, the player has admitted that these two teams’ cash offers were better. He did, however, decide to move to the Spanish city after talking to Florentino Perez.

“PSG and City both wanted me. Both teams came with more lucrative offers but I wanted glory, I wanted Real Madrid. There is nothing like Real Madrid,” James said last December.

“Florentino Pérez called me and asked me: ‘What do you want, money or glory?’ and then I answered that what I wanted was glory. He answered: ‘Well, then, it’s done.”

Photo credit: IMAGO / Pro Sports Images