- Rodriguez has joined the twelfth membership of his profession and can face Chelsea this 12 months
- One other membership missed out after refusing his calls for, together with of 14 bodyguards
- LISTEN to It’s All Kicking Off! Why Manchester United could must promote Kobbie Mainoo or Alejandro Garnacho
James Rodriguez’s nomadic profession will proceed in Mexico after the Colombian put pen to paper on a reported one-year take care of Membership Leon.
The membership confirmed the transfer with an announcement video by which Rodriguez, 33, performs the position of a Roman gladiator who wins the approval of the gang and the emperor with a chest-and-volley mixture.
It comes only a week after his contract with LaLiga aspect Rayo Vallecano was terminated following seven appearances all season. Leon have paid the Madrid-based membership a symbolic charge of £0.84million, as per The Athletic.
Leon are the twelfth membership of his profession, in an eleventh nation. In 2023 they received the CONCACAF Champions Cup, North America’s equal of the Champions League.
Over the summer season he’ll discover himself enjoying in opposition to Chelsea in Atlanta, USA within the Membership World Cup.
In keeping with MARCA, Rodriguez demanded 14 bodyguards and a home to sweeten the deal, in addition to the promise to signal ‘higher gamers’ – one thing his new team-mates may not need to hear.
James Rodriguez has signed for Mexican aspect Membership Leon on a reported £5million wage
He performed a Roman gladiator in his announcement video, impressing the emperor with a volley
The outlet additionally claims he’s in line to financial institution virtually £5m over the course of his contract.
He had initially seemed like he might head to Junior de Barranquilla in his homeland however they have been reportedly unwilling to satisfy these calls for.
Rodriguez has performed for a few of the greatest golf equipment on this planet, similar to Actual Madrid and Bayern Munich, however struggled to nail down common minutes and produce his kind for Colombia within the membership recreation.
After his sensational 2014 World Cup – together with probably the greatest targets within the match’s historical past – he earned himself a giant cash transfer to Actual from Monaco for £62million.
He made 125 appearances, although solely 94 have been begins throughout a six 12 months stint on the books at Los Blancos, which featured quite a lot of mortgage strikes.
Nevertheless, since a considerably extra constant two years on mortgage at Bayern Munich between 2017-19, Rodriguez has moved round regularly, becoming a member of Everton, Qatari aspect Al-Rayyan, Olympiacos and, Sao Paulo, Rayo Vallecano, and now Leon.
A lot of these strikes have been short-lived, seeing contracts ripped up. He was the highest-paid participant in Everton’s historical past on round £220,000 per week, scoring six targets in 2020-21 beneath Carlo Ancelotti.
Nevertheless, it was at Al-Rayyan that he admitted to feeling ‘afraid’ after struggling to adapt to the tradition.
Rodriguez joined Actual Madrid for £62million within the wake of his beautiful 2014 World Cup
The Colombian spent a season enjoying at Everton beneath Carlo Ancelotti in 2020-21
He left Al-Rayyan in 2022 after admitting he felt ‘afraid’ and struggled to adapt to life in Qatar
He ended his time with Brazilian giants Sao Paulo after solely 12 months in 2024
The Colombian would spend solely seven months at Olympiacos earlier than ripping up his contract
He’s considered one of Colombia’s greatest-ever gamers, having been their star of the 2014 World Cup (pictured in 2024)

‘Life and tradition in Qatar are very tough, it was a rustic the place it was tough to adapt,’ Rodriguez stated on the Brazilian TV channel Globo.
‘You already know that in soccer everyone seems to be bare once they bathe, however my team-mates instructed me: “You possibly can’t do it like that”. I used to be afraid.’
He added: ‘Everybody there eats with their fingers, which was tough for me. They shared it with me and I stated, “No thanks”. I requested for cutlery and so they instructed me: “No, together with your hand” and I replied: “You guys are loopy, I will not eat with my hand”.


















