James Rodriguez was a guest on the show “Edu’s Friends.” The Colombian spoke about his time at Real Madrid, the national team, and his retirement from football.
What’s it like to wear the Colombia number 10?
These are things you’ve dreamed of since you were a child, and you want them to happen. Since I’ve been wearing the jersey, it’s been something unique. Having my whole country behind me and being the captain of a great generation is incredible. As captain, I tried to make sure everyone was okay. I talked to them and tried to give them advice. It’s not just about wearing the armband; I like to see what happens to them on the sidelines.
The criticism
It affected me. Now I don’t read anything anymore, I haven’t watched ‘X’ since 2020, I don’t use Facebook anymore; the only social media I watch is Instagram and TikTok. I try to focus on myself. I know when I’m playing badly in a match, and when I do things well, I self-criticize. Football has become very results-oriented, because you play badly and you score a goal or make an assist, and people think you played well. It’s happened to me sometimes. Although I prefer winning and playing badly, of course.
How do you deal with defeats?
I don’t like losing, but I try to put things into perspective when I get home and am with my family and loved ones. When I was in Madrid, I learned to deal with all these things because I was always in the spotlight, and if I started listening to everything that was being said, I would go crazy. Before, when I read things, I was also motivated because I said to myself, “I’m going to shut their mouths.” I like playing in stadiums where everyone boos me.
His time in Argentina and Porto
There were a lot of fouls. South American football, when I played there, was more physical, more direct. When I arrived in Porto, I noticed the difference in the way the ball was played, in the quick passes, but since I’ve always had technique, it was easy. For me, the South American qualifiers are more difficult than the European ones.
The call from Real Madrid
During the World Cup, Jorge Mendes told me that Real Madrid wanted me. He told me not to lose focus, and that gave me more strength. Right after the match against Japan, I came on and scored a goal, and then against Uruguay, I scored two goals. When he told me that, it gave me more strength. I was 22 and I said to myself, ‘Now I have to play better,’ and that’s when I won the Golden Boot at the World Cup.
His arrival in Madrid
I was also coveted by City and PSG, who offered me a lot of money and very high salaries, but I chose Madrid because Florentino called me and said, “Fame or money?” I’ve always been a Madridista. Real Madrid is Real Madrid. When I arrived in Madrid, I thought, ‘How am I going to talk to Ramos, Karim, Modric, Cristiano and Iker?’ But I arrived and they were all very calm, as if they were playing in the neighborhood. Florentino Pérez always treated me well, I haven’t spoken to him for a long time but I think I’ve always been one of his favorites, he said to me, ‘What a shame,’ when I left for Bayern. I arrived when Ancelotti arrived, we were in the team with Kroos, Isco, Benzema and Bale and I thought he wouldn’t play me in the first game because I had only trained for five days, but he put me in the starting team, I played 60 minutes.
His First Season
I scored over 14 goals and provided 15 assists, I think. It was a spectacular level, similar to Bellingham’s in his first season. I really like his style of play. I think I could have won a Ballon d’Or. Of course, there was Messi, Cristiano, Iniesta, Xavi, Suarez, Neymar… in 2014, I was eighth, with these stars up front. I would have liked to win the Ballon d’Or, but I failed, but it’s also true that I was more focused on winning titles like the Champions League.
His Fallout with Benítez
I had a disagreement with him. At first, he brought me on, then he didn’t. Once I left the match because he replaced me and the Bernabéu whistled him for that change, I made a gesture and I think he thought I had stirred up the crowd against him, he took it badly.
Ancelotti
A coach’s success or failure depends a lot on how he manages the squad. If you look at Carletto, you’ll see that all the players who played in his teams performed well. Kaka succeeded with Inter under Ancelotti, and in Madrid it happened with Cristiano, Vini, Rodrygo, and myself. Ancelotti has a special value; for me, he’s the best in the world. I always played with him.
Zidane
Zidane has always been my idol. Sometimes he participated in training and he had more qualities than any of us. When Zidane arrived, the press generated a lot of strange heated debate. Nothing happened to me with him; I wasn’t angry with him, as people said, but he found a great team in which I didn’t belong. I played with him but in key matches he didn’t use me, he used Kroos, Casemiro and Modric and that’s respectable.
The Press
I suffered a lot. I think they made up things like I wasn’t taking care of myself, that I wasn’t training, even though I’ve always trained. At 33, if I hadn’t taken care of myself and trained, I wouldn’t have been able to play at this level in the Copa América. But I don’t blame the Spanish press. You have to learn to forgive.
Do you watch football?
I don’t watch much football because I think it’s become very monotonous. No one does anything that makes you say ‘I want to see him play,’ it’s very fast, very direct football. No one does anything like Neymar, Messi, Cristiano, or Robben. Vinicius is similar, yes, but I think he has more power and Neymar has more quality. When I watch football, I get bored.
What do you think of Real Madrid?
They won the Champions League last year. With Mbappé’s arrival, I think they’ll be better. Barça also looks good. Lamine reminds me of myself; yes, he’ll be a top player; you can see things like Neymar in him. For me, if Messi and Cristiano weren’t there, Neymar would have won three Ballon d’Or awards, but he had to compete with those monsters.
The best player in the world right now? “My ranking: Mbappé, Bellingham, and Vinicius.”
Who was stronger, Pirlo or Kaka? “Pirlo.”
Pirlo or De Bruyne? “De Bruyne”
De Bruyne or Zidane? “Zidane”
Zidane or Bellingham? “Zidane”
Zidane or Özil? “Zidane”
Zidane or Isco? “Zidane”
Zidane or James? “Zidane was very good, in his prime he won the World Cup, but… James”
James or Modric? “James”
James or Kroos? “James”
James or Xavi Hernández? “In his prime, James
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