James Rodríguez facts for kids
James 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 | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder, winger | ||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||
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Current team
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León | ||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 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) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2020–2021 | Everton | 23 | (6) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | Al-Rayyan | 13 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | Olympiacos | 20 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | São Paulo | 18 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2024–2025 | Rayo Vallecano | 6 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2025– | León | 17 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2007 | Colombia U17 | 11 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Colombia U20 | 5 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2011– | Colombia | 116 | (29) | ||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 03:38, 13 May 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10 June 2025 |
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James David Rodríguez Rubio (born 12 July 1991) is a Colombian professional footballer. He plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for Liga MX club León. He is also the captain of the Colombia national team. Many people think he is one of the best Colombian players ever. He is known for his great technique, vision, and ability to create plays for his team.
James started his career in Colombia with Envigado. He then moved to Argentina to play for Banfield. He became famous in Europe while playing for Porto, where he won many trophies. In 2014, James joined Real Madrid from AS Monaco for a large transfer fee. This made him one of the most expensive Colombian players at the time. In his first season, he was named in the La Liga Team of the Season. He also won the La Liga Best Midfielder award.
Later, in 2017, he moved to German club Bayern Munich on a two-year loan. In 2020, he joined Premier League club Everton. After one season, he played for Al-Rayyan in Qatar and Olympiacos in Greece. In 2023, he returned to South America to play for Brazilian club São Paulo. After a short time with Rayo Vallecano in Europe, James joined Mexican club León in 2025.
James also had a great international career. He played for the Colombia under-20 team and won the 2011 Toulon Tournament. He was the captain of the U-20 team during the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Because of his strong performances, he was called up to the senior national team when he was just 20. He played in the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cup. He won the Golden Boot in 2014 as the top scorer. He was also part of the Cup's All-Star Team. He has played in the Copa América several times, including in 2015, 2016, 2019, and 2024. He won a third-place medal in 2016 and reached the final in 2024. In the 2024 tournament, he received the Golden Ball as the best player.
Club Career Highlights
Starting in Colombia: Envigado
James was born in Cúcuta, Colombia. He grew up in Ibagué. He started his professional football journey in 2006 with Envigado. This team was in the Colombian second division. He helped them get promoted to the first division in 2007. James was one of the youngest Colombian players to start a professional match. He played his first game on 21 May 2006, when he was only 14 years old.
Moving to Argentina: Banfield
In 2008, James moved to Argentina to play for Banfield. He played his first game for the senior team on 7 February 2009. He scored his first goal on 27 February with a powerful shot. He finished his first season with one goal in 11 games.
In 2009, James became a regular player for Banfield. At just 17, he became the youngest foreign player to score in Argentina. His goals helped Banfield win the Argentine championship for the first time ever. This was a huge moment for the club.
In 2010, James scored his first goal in the Copa Libertadores, a big South American club tournament. He scored five goals in seven games in that competition.
Success in Portugal: Porto
On 6 July 2010, James joined Porto in Portugal. He signed a four-year contract. He scored his first goal for Porto in a friendly match against Ajax. In December 2010, he scored his first goal in a European competition, the Europa League.
In the 2011 Taça de Portugal Final, James scored three goals and helped with another. Porto won the match 6–2. He finished the 2010–11 season with six goals and eight assists. Porto had a fantastic season, winning four trophies: the Super Cup, the league title, the Europa League, and the Portuguese Cup.
In the 2011–12 season, James scored 14 goals and made 11 assists. He won the LPFP Award for Breakthrough Player of the season. He also won the Portuguese Golden Ball award in 2012. This made him the youngest player ever to win it.
For the 2012–13 season, James was given the number 10 shirt. He became a regular starter. He scored against Paris Saint-Germain in the 2012–13 UEFA Champions League group stage. He also scored two goals against Marítimo. James helped Porto win their third league title in a row. He scored 13 goals and made 15 assists in 32 games that season.
Time in France: Monaco
On 25 May 2013, James joined AS Monaco in France. This was a very expensive transfer, making him one of the most costly players in Ligue 1 history. He made his debut for Monaco in a 2–0 win against Bordeaux.
He scored his first goal for Monaco with a free-kick against Rennes. James also scored two goals in a match against Bastia. In the French media, some people called him "perhaps" the best player in Ligue 1. He helped Monaco get a spot in the UEFA Champions League for the next season. He also led Ligue 1 in assists that season.
Dream Move to Spain: Real Madrid
After his amazing performance at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, James said he dreamed of playing for Real Madrid. On 22 July 2014, he signed a six-year contract with the Spanish club. The transfer fee was around £63 million. This made him the fourth-most expensive transfer in the world at the time. He was given the number 10 shirt, worn by famous Madrid players before him.
James made his debut in the 2014 UEFA Super Cup, which Real Madrid won 2–0. He scored his first goal for Real Madrid against Atlético Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup. He also scored his first Champions League goal against Basel. James scored two goals against Granada in a 4–0 win.
In the 2015–16 season, James scored a spectacular free-kick and a bicycle kick against Real Betis. He also helped Real Madrid win the 2015–16 UEFA Champions League. He made 5 appearances in that tournament.
In the 2016–17 season, James played 22 games as Madrid won 2016–17 La Liga. He also played 6 games when Madrid won the 2016–17 UEFA Champions League again. He scored 11 goals and made 13 assists that season.
Loan to Germany: Bayern Munich
On 11 July 2017, James joined Bayern Munich on a two-year loan. He reunited with his former Real Madrid coach, Carlo Ancelotti. He scored his first goal for Bayern against Schalke 04. James played a key role in Bayern winning the 2017–18 Bundesliga title. He scored 7 goals and made 11 assists in 23 league games.
In the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League semi-finals, James scored against his parent club, Real Madrid. Bayern lost the match, but James showed his skill. On 17 March 2019, he scored three goals against Mainz. This was his first hat-trick since 2011. He won his second Bundesliga title with Bayern in 2019. He also won his first DFB-Pokal (German Cup) that year. In June 2019, Bayern decided not to buy James permanently, so he returned to Real Madrid.
He made eight appearances for Real Madrid in the 2019–20 La Liga season, as the team won the league title.
Time in England and Beyond
On 7 September 2020, James joined Everton in England. He signed a two-year deal and reunited with coach Carlo Ancelotti again. He made his debut against Tottenham Hotspur. He scored his first goal for Everton in a 5–2 win against West Bromwich Albion.
After Everton, James moved to Al-Rayyan in Qatar in September 2021. He scored his first goal for them in October 2021. In September 2022, he left Al-Rayyan.
He then joined Olympiacos in Greece on 15 September 2022. He was given the number 10 jersey. His contract with Olympiacos ended in April 2023.
On 29 July 2023, James returned to South America to play for São Paulo in Brazil. He played 14 games in 2023. In July 2024, his contract with São Paulo ended. He had played 22 games and scored two goals for the club.
James briefly returned to Europe, joining La Liga club Rayo Vallecano in August 2024. He played seven games for them before his contract ended in January 2025.
Following his departure from Rayo, James joined Liga MX club León on 13 January 2025.
International Career
Youth Teams
James played for the Colombia U-17 team. They finished second in the 2007 South American Under-17 Football Championship. He scored three goals in that tournament. He also helped Colombia reach the knockout stages of the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
He was also part of the Colombia under-20 squad in 2011. He played in the Toulon Tournament, the 2011 South American U-20 Championship, and the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup. James scored two goals and made three assists in the 2011 Toulon Tournament. He was voted the Most Valuable Player (MVP) as Colombia won the final.
During the 2011 U-20 World Cup, James was named captain. He scored three goals and made three assists. His performance, especially in a 4–1 win against France, brought him international attention.
Senior National Team
James was first called up to the Colombia senior side on 29 September 2011. He was named man of the match in his first game against Bolivia. He scored his first goal for Colombia against Peru in a 1–0 win.
He played a big part in Colombia's journey to the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He scored a fantastic goal from a free kick against Chile. This helped Colombia qualify for the World Cup for the first time in 16 years.
2014 FIFA World Cup
On 2 June 2014, James was chosen for Colombia's 23-man squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He wore the number 10 shirt. In Colombia's first game, he helped set up two goals and scored one himself in a 3–0 win over Greece. He was named man of the match. He continued his great form in the next game, scoring and assisting in a 2–1 win against Ivory Coast. In the final group game against Japan, James came on as a substitute. He assisted two goals and scored the last one in a 4–1 victory.
On 28 June, James scored both goals in a 2–0 win against Uruguay. This sent Colombia to their first-ever World Cup quarter-finals. His first goal, a volley, was called "one of the greatest goals the World Cup has ever seen" by the opposing coach. This goal later won the FIFA Puskás Award for the best goal of the year. In the quarter-final against Brazil, he scored his sixth goal of the tournament from a penalty. Colombia lost 2–1, but James finished as the top scorer.
James ended his first World Cup with six goals and two assists in five matches. He won the Golden Boot as the tournament's top goalscorer. He was also named in the World Cup All-Star Team.
Copa América Tournaments
James played for Colombia in the 2015 Copa América. His team was knocked out by Argentina in a penalty shootout.
In the Copa América Centenario in 2016, James was named captain. He scored a penalty in Colombia's opening 2–0 win against the United States. He also scored and assisted in a 2–1 win against Paraguay. Colombia finished third in the tournament, their best result since 2001.
James was part of the squad for the 2019 Copa América. Colombia was eliminated by Chile in a penalty shootout in the quarter-finals.
In May 2021, James was not included in the squad for the 2021 Copa América due to an injury.
After Colombia did not qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, James expressed sadness.
On 15 June 2024, James played his 100th international game for Colombia. He was selected for the 2024 Copa América squad. In the quarter-final against Panama, he scored a penalty and made two assists in a 5–0 win. In the semi-final against Uruguay, he assisted the winning goal from a corner kick. This assist was his sixth in the tournament, breaking a record for most assists in a single Copa América. Colombia reached the final, and James won the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player.
Playing Style
James is a very flexible player who can play in many positions in the midfield or front-line. He has played as a playmaker, winger, and central midfielder. He has said his favorite role is as an attacking midfielder behind the main strikers. People praise him for his speed, technical skills, vision, and ability to create chances for his teammates. His style of play has been compared to the famous Colombian footballer Carlos Valderrama.
Even though he is naturally left-footed, James can use both feet very well when dribbling and playing. His goal-scoring skills were a highlight of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He won the Golden Boot there. He is also very good at taking free kicks. He can score from almost anywhere on the field.
Personal Life
In 2015, Forbes magazine estimated James' yearly income to be $29 million.
James married volleyball player Daniela Ospina in 2011. She is the sister of Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina. They have a daughter named Salome, born in 2013. In 2017, they announced they were getting divorced. In 2019, James had his first son, Samuel.
James is a devoted Catholic. He became a Spanish citizen in 2019.
Sponsorships
James has worked with several brands. He has appeared in adverts for Adidas, a Colombian drink called "Pony Malta," Nestlé's "Milo," and "Clear" shampoo. After he won the Golden Boot in the 2014 World Cup, Adidas gave him special gold boots to celebrate his achievement.
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: 2020
- 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
São Paulo
- Copa do Brasil: 2023
Colombia U20
- Toulon Tournament: 2011
Colombia
- Copa América runner-up: 2024; third place: 2016
Individual Awards
- 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
- 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
- FIFA World Cup Golden Boot: 2014
- FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2014
- FIFA World Cup Goal of the Tournament: 2014
- FIFA Puskás Award: 2014
- 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
- Copa América Team of the Tournament: 2019, 2024
- Copa América Golden Ball: 2024
See also
In Spanish: James Rodríguez para niños
- List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps
