James Rodríguez facts for kids
James Rodríguez training with Bayern Munich in 2018
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| Personal information | |||
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| Full name | James David Rodríguez Rubio | ||
| Date of birth | 12 July 1991 | ||
| Place of birth | Cúcuta, Colombia | ||
| Height | 1.80 m | ||
| Playing position | Attacking midfielder Winger |
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| Club information | |||
| Current club | Everton | ||
| Number | 19 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2001–2005 | Academia Tolimense de Fútbol | ||
| 2005–2006 | Envigado | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2006–2008 | Envigado | 30 | (9) |
| 2008–2010 | Banfield | 42 | (5) |
| 2010–2013 | Porto | 63 | (25) |
| 2013–2014 | Monaco | 34 | (9) |
| 2014–2020 | Real Madrid | 85 | (29) |
| 2017–2019 | → Bayern Munich (loan) | 43 | (14) |
| 2020– | Everton | 3 | (1) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2007 | Colombia U17 | 11 | (3) |
| 2011 | Colombia U20 | 5 | (3) |
| 2011– | Colombia | 76 | (22) |
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Honours
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† Appearances (Goals). |
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James David Rodríguez Rubio (born 12 July 1991), commonly known simply as James, is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for Premier League club Everton and the Colombia national team. He has been praised for his technique, vision and playmaking skills, and often referred as the successor to his compatriot Carlos Valderrama.
Starting his career at Envigado and then moving to Argentina side Banfield, James 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, James moved from AS Monaco to Real Madrid for a transfer fee of £63 million, which beat the one set by Radamel Falcao and made him 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.
James 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 as the top goalscorer in the former tournament and being included in the Cup's All Star Team. He also represented his nation at the 2015 Copa América, the Copa América Centenario in 2016, and the 2019 Copa América, winning a third-place medal in 2016.
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Style of play
Once considered to be among the best young players in the world, James is a versatile footballer who can play in several positions across the midfield or front-line, having played as a playmaker, winger, and central midfielder for both club and country, although he has stated in interviews that his preferred role is as an attacking midfielder behind the strikers. Praised for his pace, technical skills, vision, and his ability to create chances for teammates as an advanced playmaker, James' performances as a classic number 10 have led to comparisons with the famous Colombian footballer Carlos Valderrama; Valderrama himself declared James as his "successor".
Although naturally left-footed, James has shown ambidexterity in his dribbling and style of play.
His goal scoring abilities were a highlight of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, where he managed to claim the Golden Boot despite Colombia's elimination in the quarter finals following a 2–1 loss to Brazil. He is also an accurate free kick taker, and a goal threat from anywhere on the pitch. This has made James recognized for his unpredictability as noted by Marca writer Justin Sherman: "One of the differences that James has with other players is that, apart from being very good outside the area, he is also good inside. He has the qualities of a No. 9 and is capable of finishing with a shot from the head or with either foot with great effectiveness."
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Continental | Other | Total | Ref. | |||||||
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| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Envigado | 2007 | Categoría Primera A | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 0 | |||||
| 2008 | 22 | 9 | — | — | — | — | 22 | 9 | |||||||
| Total | 30 | 9 | — | — | — | — | 30 | 9 | — | ||||||
| Banfield | 2008–09 | Primera División | 11 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 11 | 1 | |||||
| 2009–10 | 30 | 4 | — | — | 8 | 5 | — | 38 | 9 | ||||||
| Total | 41 | 5 | — | — | 8 | 5 | — | 49 | 10 | — | |||||
| Porto | 2010–11 | Primeira Liga | 15 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 1 | — | 31 | 6 | ||
| 2011–12 | 26 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 1 | — | 38 | 14 | ||||
| 2012–13 | 24 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 12 | |||
| Total | 65 | 25 | 8 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 25 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 107 | 32 | — | ||
| Monaco | 2013–14 | Ligue 1 | 34 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 10 | |||
| Real Madrid | 2014–15 | La Liga | 29 | 13 | 4 | 2 | — | 9 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 46 | 17 | ||
| 2015–16 | 26 | 7 | 1 | 0 | — | 5 | 1 | — | 32 | 8 | |||||
| 2016–17 | 22 | 8 | 3 | 3 | — | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 33 | 11 | ||||
| 2019–20 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 85 | 29 | 10 | 5 | — | 22 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 125 | 37 | — | |||
| Bayern Munich (loan) | 2017–18 | Bundesliga | 23 | 7 | 4 | 0 | — | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 8 | ||
| 2018–19 | 20 | 7 | 3 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 7 | ||||
| Total | 43 | 14 | 7 | 0 | — | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 67 | 15 | — | |||
| Everton | 2020–21 | Premier League | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 1 | |||
| Total | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | |||
| Career total | 302 | 92 | 29 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 71 | 11 | 8 | 1 | 419 | 114 | — | ||
International
| Colombia | ||
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| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2011 | 3 | 0 |
| 2012 | 7 | 2 |
| 2013 | 10 | 1 |
| 2014 | 12 | 9 |
| 2015 | 8 | 1 |
| 2016 | 12 | 4 |
| 2017 | 8 | 4 |
| 2018 | 8 | 1 |
| 2019 | 8 | 0 |
| Total | 76 | 22 |
International goals
- Scores and results list Colombia's goal tally first.
| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Final | Competition |
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| 1. | 3 June 2012 | Estadio Nacional, Lima, Peru |  Peru |
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2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2. | 11 September 2012 | Estadio Monumental David Arellano, Santiago, Chile |  Chile |
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| 3. | 6 September 2013 | Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez, Barranquilla, Colombia |  Ecuador |
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| 4. | 5 March 2014 | Estadi Cornellà-El Prat, Barcelona, Spain |  Tunisia |
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Friendly |
| 5. | 6 June 2014 | Estadio Nuevo Gasómetro, Buenos Aires, Argentina |  Jordan |
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| 6. | 14 June 2014 | Estádio Mineirão, Belo Horizonte, Brazil |  Greece |
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2014 FIFA World Cup |
| 7. | 19 June 2014 | Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha, Brasília, Brazil |  Côte d'Ivoire |
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| 8. | 24 June 2014 | Arena Pantanal, Cuiabá, Brazil |  Japan |
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| 9. | 28 June 2014 | Estádio do Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |  Uruguay |
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| 10. | 28 June 2014 | Estádio do Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Uruguay |
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| 11. | 4 July 2014 | Estádio Castelão, Fortaleza, Brazil |  Brazil |
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| 12. | 14 October 2014 | Red Bull Arena, Harrison, United States |  Canada |
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Friendly |
| 13. | 12 November 2015 | Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos, Santiago, Chile | Chile |
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2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 14. | 24 March 2016 | Estadio Hernando Siles, La Paz, Bolivia |  Bolivia |
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| 15. | 3 June 2016 | Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, United States |  United States |
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Copa América Centenario |
| 16. | 7 June 2016 | Rose Bowl, Pasadena, United States |  Paraguay |
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| 17. | 1 September 2016 | Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez, Barranquilla, Colombia |  Venezuela |
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2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 18. | 23 March 2017 | Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez, Barranquilla, Colombia | Bolivia |
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| 19. | 28 March 2017 | Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa, Quito, Ecuador | Ecuador |
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| 20. | 13 June 2017 | Coliseum Alfonso Pérez, Getafe, Spain |  Cameroon |
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Friendly |
| 21. | 10 October 2017 | Estadio Nacional, Lima, Peru | Peru |
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2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 22. | 11 October 2018 | Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, United States | United States |
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Friendly |
Honours
Envigado
- Categoría Primera B: 2007
Banfield
- Primera División Argentina: Apertura 2009
Porto
- Primeira Liga: 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13
- Taça de Portugal: 2010–11
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2012
- UEFA Europa League: 2010–11
Real Madrid
- La Liga: 2016–17, 2019–20
- Supercopa de España: 2019–20
- UEFA Champions League: 2015–16, 2016–17
- UEFA Super Cup: 2014, 2016
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2014, 2016
Bayern Munich
- Bundesliga: 2017–18, 2018–19
- DFB-Pokal: 2018–19
Colombia
- Copa América third place: 2016
Individual
- FIFA U-20 World Cup top assist provider: 2011
- Toulon Tournament Best Player: 2011
- LPFP Primeira Liga Breakthrough Player of the Year: 2011–12
- SJPF Player of the Month: August 2012, September 2012
- Record Team of the Year: 2012
- O Jogo Team of the Year: 2012, 2013
- Portuguese Golden Ball: 2012
- Ligue 1 top assist provider: 2013–14
- UNFP Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2013–14
- AS Monaco Player of the Year: 2013–14
- Globe Revelation Player: 2014
- FIFA World Cup Golden Boot: 2014
- FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2014
- FIFA World Cup Dream Team: 2014
- FIFA World Cup Goal of the Tournament: 2014
- FIFA Puskás Award: 2014
- IFFHS World's Best Playmaker Bronze award: 2014
- FIFPro World XI 4th team: 2014, 2015
- La Liga Team of the Season: 2014–15
- La Liga Best Midfielder: 2014–15
- UEFA Team of the Year: 2015
- UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2017–18
- Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2017–18
- Facebook FA La Liga Best Goal: 2016
- Copa del Rey top assist provider: 2016–17
- New species of coral named after him, Paragorgia jamesi
- Copa América Team of the Tournament: 2019
Personal life
In 2015, Forbes estimated that James' annual income was $29 million.
James has been married to volleyball player Daniela Ospina, sister of David Ospina who is also a player on the Colombia national football team, since 2011 and has a daughter named Salome, born on 29 May 2013. On 27 July 2017, it was announced that the couple was in the process of divorcing.
James is a devout Christian.
He acquired Spanish citizenship in 2019.
Sponsorship
During his early days playing in South America, James was approached by Adidas head scout Claus Peter Meyer. He featured occasionally in various adverts for Adidas as well as the Colombian beverage "Pony Malta", Nestlé drink "Milo", and the shampoo "Clear". After the 2014 World Cup, where he won the Golden Boot as the tournament's top goal scorer with six goals, Adidas took advantage of James' increased exposure and issued him his own custom gold boots to celebrate his achievement and increase the brand's on-pitch association with their new star asset.
Images for kids
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James with Real Madrid in 2014
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James scoring his second goal against Uruguay in the Round of 16 match
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James celebrates after scoring a penalty against Brazil at the 2014 World Cup. He became the first player to score in every single game he played since Rivaldo at the 2002 edition.
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Rodríguez preparing to practice in Chicago, Illinois, for Copa América Centenario, June 2016
