James Rodríguez, captain of the Colombia national team, has officially announced his retirement from international football. The 35-year-old midfielder made the statement on September 15, 2026, in a video published on his personal page on the social network X (Twitter). "After many years, many matches, moments of joy and difficult times, I feel it is time to close one of the most important chapters of my life — my journey with the Colombia national team," the player said, addressing the fans. In the same address, he thanked them for "every match, every joy, every tear and every shared dream," emphasizing that wearing the colors of the Colombia national team had been "one of the greatest honors of my life."

Numbers That Will Remain in History

James Rodríguez has been playing for the Colombia national team since 2011, and during that time he has become one of the key players in the team's modern history. He holds a record 131 caps for the national side — a figure that puts him in a tie for the top spot with goalkeeper David Ospina. At the club level, the midfielder scored 31 goals, which places him second on the all-time top scorers list for the national team, behind Radamel Falcao (36 goals). In addition, his statistics include 36 assists, making him one of the most versatile players in the history of Colombian football.

Three World Cups and Two Absolute Records

Rodríguez competed in three World Cups — in 2014, 2018 and 2026. In total, he played 13 matches at the World Cups and scored six goals. Both figures are records for players of the Colombia national team at the World Championships. The midfielder earned his global fame precisely at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where he helped the team reach the quarter-finals for the first time in its history. At that tournament he won the Golden Boot (six goals in five matches) and scored the goal of the tournament, for which he subsequently received the prestigious FIFA Puskás Award.

Copa América and the Podiums the Captain Stood On

Among Rodríguez's other significant achievements with the national team is the title of Best Player of Copa América 2024, at which he set a tournament record with six assists. Colombia finished as runners-up at that tournament. Earlier, in 2016, James won the bronze medal at Copa América with the team. Thus, during his time with the national side, the midfielder stood on the podium of the continental championship three times, underscoring the consistency of his level over more than a decade.

Context: A Wave of Farewells in World Football

James Rodríguez's decision coincided with another high-profile event in world football — Lionel Messi had previously announced his retirement from the national team. The coincidence of the dates of the two farewells underscores that 2026 has become a turning point for an entire generation of players who led their national teams to the peak of their achievements. For Colombia, Rodríguez's departure means the closing of an entire era: the midfielder who only began his international career in 2011 is leading the team into a new cycle already without his leadership on and off the pitch.

Contradictory Data

In the original Sport RBC.UA text, which other outlets cite, there is a small internal inconsistency: in one sentence Rodríguez is described as a "forward," while in the next he is called a "midfielder." In fact, the player has played as an attacking midfielder throughout his career, so the second description is the correct one. In addition, the source text contains a typo in the year his international career began ("2011-uj"), which, based on context and the data of all other sources, is unambiguously interpreted as 2011. No significant discrepancies in the figures (matches, goals, assists) were found between the sources.