James Rodríguez puts an end to his time with the Colombia National Team: reactions from the football world
The Colombian captain announced his retirement from the Colombia National Team at age 35, after 15 years defending his country's jersey. His decision was communicated through a video on social media.
James Rodríguez announced his retirement from the Colombia National Team this Tuesday, bringing an end to a 15-year international career. The 35-year-old midfielder shared his decision through a video posted on his social media.
The forward closes his chapter representing his country with 131 matches played and 31 goals. He featured in three World Cups and had one of his most memorable performances in Brazil 2014 , a tournament in which he finished as the top scorer with six goals.
The farewell of a benchmark of the golden generation
For more than a decade, Rodríguez was one of Colombia’s main figures . His story with the national team was marked by a particularity: while he went through different stages and club changes, Colombia became the setting where he managed to maintain a central role and the trust of the coaches.
He participated in the 2014, 2018, and 2026 World Cups.
In 2014, at just 22 years old, James was one of the tournament’s biggest revelations: he scored six goals and finished as the World Cup’s top scorer.
His performance against Uruguay remained especially etched in the memory of the fans. In that match he scored a spectacular goal with a volley from outside the box, a play that later received the Puskás Award for the best goal of the year . That performance paved the way for his move to Real Madrid, which paid around 75 million euros for his signing after the World Cup.
On the other hand, he played a standout role in the 2024 Copa América , where he was named the tournament’s best player and led the team to the final .
His history with the national team was marked by a particularity: while he went through different stages and club changes, Colombia became the setting where he managed to maintain a central role and the trust of the coaches.
The farewell after the 2026 World Cup
At 35, James closes a chapter that began in 2011 and included 131 international matches, three World Cups and five Copa América appearances, as well as some of the most memorable moments in the recent history of the Colombia National Team.
The soccer player announced his decision through his social media, where he shared a farewell message:
“Today I want to speak to you from the heart. After many years, many matches, many joys, and also difficult moments, I feel that the time has come to close one of the most important chapters of my life: my journey with the Colombia National Team”, the footballer said.
And he added: "Thank you for every match, every joy, every tear, and every shared dream. Defending the colors of the Colombia national team was one of the greatest honors of my life. Thank you, Colombia. Forever." 💛💙❤️
Now his career will continue at Atlético Nacional. The return to Colombia represents a new chapter for the footballer, this time away from the national team jersey he wore for 15 years.
'Reactions to the farewell of the "10"'
One of the first to react was Juan Guillermo Cuadrado , who described him as a “historic legend”. Messages also came in from Jefferson Lerma, Richard Ríos, Jhon Arias, Matheus Uribe, Fredy Guarín, Carlos Bacca, and Carlos Sánchez , among others.
Lerma wrote to him: “Epic and different from everyone else, always MY CAPTAIN”, while Ríos posted: “Thank you for so much, GENIUS”.
For his part, Cucho Hernández highlighted his career: “Thank you for everything, captain. Total idol and legend of our country”. Matheus Uribe emphasized Rodríguez’s legacy and said that the midfielder took the National Team “to another level”.
There was also recognition from outside the squad. Luis Suárez thanked James for having contributed to Colombia’s growth and for having taken the country’s name to the very top . CONMEBOL also posted a message on social media highlighting the footballer and his performances wearing the Colombian jersey.
Luis Díaz, one of Colombia's current standouts, also dedicated a few words to the captain. “I feel fortunate to have shared with you,” the forward said in his farewell.
The reactions show the impact Rodríguez had across different generations of Colombian footballers, from teammates from his final years with the national team to those with whom he shared his greatest moments of international prominence.
