The last years of James Rodríguez’s sports career have been practically lost and, just when it was thought that he was on his way to recovering his best level, he abruptly left Olympiacos in Greece.
For his detractors, this is the end of the career of ’10’, they describe him as ‘retired’ and ask loudly that he not be taken into account for the Colombian National Team again.
However, at 31 years old, it is clear that, with demanding preparation and a lot of discipline, James could aspire to qualify for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The man from Cucuta will have to reflect and know that due to his problem with his soleus he needs to take care of himself, if he wants to return to being the player who shone at Real Madrid with Carlo Ancelotti or with Bayern Munich.
At the Bavarian club he had a high level, but he did not agree to stay despite the fact that the managers’ idea was to make use of the purchase option. The reason? He did not get used to the German cold.
His return to Real Madrid with Zinedine Zidane and Rafa Benítez was wasted time. Ancelotti wanted to get him back, he took him to English Everton, but his departure and the arrival of Benítez ruined the process and he ended up going to Al-Rayyan in Qatar, where he played little, lost value, lost pace and space in the Colombian National Team with Reinaldo Rueda.
The ‘lifeline’ that Olympiacos gave him thanks to the presence of his great friend, the left-back Marcelo, seemed to open the doors of success for James and everything was going well until the injuries reappeared. The Brazilian left the club before the end of his contract and the Colombian announced the desire to leave him.
Even before the ‘divorce’ took place, there was talk of the possible move from Cucuta to one of the greats of Turkish football.
Now, Everton fans are crying out to get it back. It remains to be seen if James wants to return and more after he predicted that Benítez would not last three months.
However, going back to Everton, a club where he had some good games, seems to be a good alternative, as long as the coach wants it.
In any case, that would be an option for the middle of the year, as would others in European football, where the leagues are entering their final stretch.
The other possibilities are the MLS of the United States, where David Beckham has not hidden that he would like to have the Colombian to reinforce Inter Miami and it was even said that in the future they could meet Lionel Messi, because the Argentine has in mind to become a shareholder and player of said club.
Worry
James has suitors not only in the United States, but in Europe and Brazil, where he could arrive ‘recommended’ by Marcelo.
If he accepts a proposal from American or Brazilian football, he could not lose the job he had been doing at Olympiacos and which led the managers to offer him the extension of the contract for another year, before the ‘divorce’ in the middle of the week that today ends.
However, if he does not play in the leagues of these two countries and wait halfway through the year to link up with a team from the old continent, James must take into account that this time cannot be wasted and that he must focus on getting ten points physically .
He does not lack money, so he can pay for a physical trainer to work on him as if he were in preseason and find a way to have contact with the ball.
It is time for the ’10’ to show that he wants to be a ‘top’ in world football again and that his interest is not just to sign a contract to receive a few thousand dollars, without making an effort to repay the club with goals, assists and, above all, continuity in their participation in the matches.
He has football, he has plenty of talent, the only thing missing is for James to decide to take advantage of the four or five years he has left and show that he is not finished, but that he has something to help the National Team to be in another World Cup.
JAMES RODRIGUEZ He still has football for a while, but taking advantage of the time depends on his decisions. /FCF
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