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The story
On September 15, Colombian national team midfielder James Rodríguez (35) announced his retirement from international football via social media. He won the Golden Boot at the 2014 Brazil World Cup and was the driving force behind Colombia’s first-ever run to the quarterfinals. On the 5ch Geinou/Sports Express+ board, opinions split sharply between posters nostalgic for his prime performances at the Brazil tournament and those pointing to his subsequent struggles and reputation for being difficult to manage at European clubs like Real Madrid.
Soccer King
9/16
On the 15th, Colombian national team midfielder James Rodríguez, currently with Atlético Nacional, announced his retirement from the national team via his official social media.
Source: soccer-king.jp / Original article here
What people said
Gotta say Brazil 2014 was his peak
Come play for our Thespa Kusatsu
Take notes, Nagatomo.
Romantics probably love him
He still had that princely look about him even at this World Cup
A classic old-school playmaker
Would've been perfect 30 years ago
He was only 23 just 12 years ago
Honestly, I figured there was no way in ten thousand Japan could beat Colombia back then. But that win became the turning point, and now I can't believe Japan's up near the top of Group B.
Though that's its own story — three tournaments running now, hitting a wall right before the final stretch.
That just doesn't fit modern football
Basically the poster child for a hard-to-manage player
Though unstoppable when he's on form
There's no clear instruction manual for him, lol
Though in Europe, Monaco and Everton seemed to handle him reasonably well
All thanks to that damn Real Madrid
No wonder Sergio Echigo sarcastically said the guy never learns
Even though he was doing Toyota commercials and everything
It was kind of surprising that Toyota, of all companies, jumped on a foreign athlete like some star-struck fan
He'd be exhibit A for a foreign player who doesn't suit the J.League
Too clueless about football [for that level]
to some world-famous midfielders
Pirlo > Kaká
Pirlo > Lampard
Pirlo < Kevin De Bruyne
Kevin De Bruyne < Zidane
Zidane > Xabi Alonso
Zidane > Gerrard
Zidane > Jude Bellingham
Zidane > Mesut Özil
Zidane > Isco
Zidane < James
James > Casemiro
James > Modrić
James > Kroos
James > Xavi
James < Iniesta
That's funny — guess you need that much confidence to make it
So he does admit Iniesta's out of his league
Even four years later, in the rematch against Colombia at the Russia World Cup, both James and Honda were just strolling around out there — cracked me up
Even if it was just promo work, kind of felt bad for him
He was on that? I saw Cristiano Ronaldo's episode though
Isco probably suits playing under someone like Pellegrini who gives him some freedom
That James-to-Richarlison connection was something else
One of Ancelotti's dark chapters
Background and key points of this discussion
James Rodríguez led Colombia to its first-ever World Cup quarterfinal at Brazil 2014, catapulting to stardom with 6 goals to win the tournament’s Golden Boot. He then moved from Monaco to Real Madrid, but was frozen out under manager Zinedine Zidane, and spent his later career drifting between European clubs such as Bayern Munich and Everton. The thread’s disagreement centered on how to view this “stagnation at club level” — nostalgia for his prime performances coexisted with criticism of his lack of defensive effort and his reputation for being difficult to manage. Note that the comment about the danger of “becoming a scapegoat” references the case of Andrés Escobar, who was shot and killed after returning home following an own goal at the 1994 World Cup — reflecting the unique pressure surrounding Colombian football. The many comments expressing surprise that he’s “still only 35,” twelve years on from the Brazil tournament, also speak to just how vivid the memory of his prime remains.
※This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports Express+) thread “[Football] James Rodríguez, 35, Retires From Colombia National Team — Golden Boot Winner and Driving Force Behind Historic First Quarterfinal Run.”
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