James Rodriguez is a professional footballer from Colombia. Real Madrid C.F. in Spain currently signs James Rodriguez. He is an attacking midfielder for Real Madrid and the Colombian National Team. He rose to prominence following a successful World Cup campaign in 2014. With six goals, James Rodriguez was awarded the FIFA Golden Boot. He is currently one of the world's best young talents.
Rodriquez’s Personal Life
Wilson James Rodrguez Bedoya and Maria Del Pilar Rubio gave birth to James David Rodrguez Rubio on July 12, 1991, in Cucuta, Colombia. His father was also a football player, having played for the 1985 U-20 and Colombian national teams. Wilson's athletic career was cut short due to injuries and a battle with alcoholism.
James inherited his father's love of football and became interested in it at a young age. He used to play Pony Football with Academia Tolimense as a child, and by the time he was in his early teens, he was a very skilled player.
His Career
In his mid-teens, he made his professional debut with the Colombian second-division club Envigado. The following year, he was promoted to Colombia's first division.
He joined the Argentine club Banfield in 2008 and made his debut in February 2009. On February 27, he scored his first goal, a long-range strike, in a 3-1 victory over Rosario Central.
He astounded his coaches and teammates with his skillful performances at 17 and became a regular first-team player, appearing in every Apertura 2009. He also became Argentina's youngest foreigner to score a goal. He did an excellent job throughout the year and quickly gained a large fan base.
He became a highly sought-after player and was signed by Porto, a Portuguese sports club, in July 2010 for €5.1 million. In December 2010, he scored his first goal in European football in a 3-1 home victory for Porto over Bulgarian club CSKA Sofia.
In the 2011-12 season, he reached new heights of success, scoring 14 goals and providing 11 assists for Porto. He was also the first Colombian player to win the LPFP Award for Breakthrough Player of the Year in 2011. In the 2012-13 season, he became a regular starter. He was instrumental in the 1-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the 2012-13 UEFA Champions League group stage.
He also assisted on a goal in a 2-1 win over Estoril. He maintained his stellar play throughout the season, finishing with 13 goals and 15 assists in 32 appearances.
In 2013, James Rodriguez joined French club AS Monaco for €45 million, making him one of the most expensive transfers in world football history. He made his Monaco debut in a 2-0 win over Bordeaux. During the season, he also assisted on two goals in a 2-1 victory over Saint-Étienne. In a 2-0 win over Rennes, he scored his first goal for the club with a free kick. Following the World Cup, he joined the Spanish club Real Madrid for an undisclosed fee, estimated to be around €80 million. He made his debut in the UEFA Super Cup against Sevilla at Cardiff City Stadium, which Real Madrid won 2-0. In August 2014, he scored his first goal for Real Madrid against Atlético Madrid.