On Monday, Liga MX side Club León released a nearly four-minute video, the concept mimicking Ridley Scott’s Gladiator movie franchise, to present signing James Rodriguez. The 33-year-old Colombian is León’s biggest international signing since the club’s founding in 1944.
A visibly younger version of Rodriguez, built with artificial intelligence, played the role of the enslaved Maximus. Some of his new teammates had cameos as palace guards. When the AI-generated Colombian international removed his battle helmet to reveal his identity, the adoring crowd and an accepting ruler celebrated the former Real Madrid No. 10 like a hero.
For that reason, an over-the-top video production meant to go viral in Latin America made sense. The execution, however, was second-rate and it underscored the stage in which Rodriguez’s career is currently. Outside of Mexico and Central America, León can be best described as obscure compared to Liga MX’s more well-known sides like Club América, Chivas de Guadalajara and CF Monterrey.
Despite being far removed from the 2014 World Cup which made him a household name, Rodriguez’s signing has been hailed as historic in Mexico. The most valuable player from last summer’s Copa America has chosen to play in Liga MX, spurning an opportunity to return home to Colombia ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Rodriguez was outstanding as Colombia reached the 2024 Copa America final. (Charly Triballeau/ AFP via Getty Images)
Rumored interest from MLS clubs were just that: rumors. Rodriguez would no doubt be a star in the U.S., behind only Lionel Messi as the league’s top import from South America. MLS has made it customary to sign traditional No. 10s or players beyond the age of 30 whose European opportunities have dried up. The Colombian’s wage demands in a salary-capped league have stood as a dealbreaker. His ability to excel in the transition-heavy style of MLS has been a highly debated topic as well.
One can deduce that his move to Mexico, where technical ability is prioritized over athleticism, is likely his final attempt to leave a lasting impression in a foreign league. Unconfirmed reports in Mexico stated that Rodriguez’s one-year deal with León could total $5 million, which would make him among Liga MX’s highest-paid players. He won’t see that type of money again. His club career beyond 2026 is anyone’s guess.
For a league that lacks star power, signing Rodriguez is a coup of sorts. He epitomizes the luxury signing: a player who doesn’t fit in most modern tactical systems, but whose natural abilities on the ball still mesmerize. Rodriguez has jumped from club to club since briefly starring for Real Madrid a decade ago. Along the way, he has earned a reputation for underperforming and mismanaging his relationships with his coaches. The latest episode occurred at Rayo Vallecano, where Rodriguez made just seven appearances after joining the Spanish club last summer.
Reports in Spain suggested that Rayo head coach Iñigo Pérez had little patience for Rodriguez’s lack of fitness and his unwillingness to increase his work ethic in training. In the end, Vallecano and Rodriguez agreed to terminate the player’s existing contract, which led to the Colombian’s decision to explore uncharted territory in Mexico. It’s certainly a massive change of scenery for Rodriguez. León is the most important city in the Mexican state of Guanajuato, but outside of Mexico, the football world is unfamiliar with the club’s history.
An eight-time Liga MX champion, and the 2023 CONCACAF Champions Cup winner, León is owned by Grupo Pachuca, a powerful group that also runs respected Mexican club CF Pachuca. Both clubs will feature in this summer’s expanded Club World Cup in the United States. León’s participation in the inaugural competition, according to León president Jesus Martinez, was a factor in Rodriguez’s decision to join the club.
(Leopoldo Smith/Getty Images)
“Honestly, it wasn’t difficult to convince him,” Martinez told TV Azteca on Tuesday. “We presented our project. Obviously the Club World Cup was something that he considered, but he also talked to some of his compatriots who have played for this club for many years. This is a great city. We’re a serious club. We’re a club that respects every contract and that’s why a player like James Rodriguez has come to Club León.”
The question is whether Rodriguez can replicate his sparkling form for Colombia on a consistent basis for his club. Most would bet against that, due to his recent history of underachieving.
Mexico may be recovering from the their darkest time in its storied football history, but the domestic league still offers little margin for error. The pressure to perform is significant. If Rodriguez fails to impress or headlines focus on his attitude off the pitch, León’s dedicated fanbase, and the Mexican press, will turn on him without batting an eye. Rodriguez joined León just days after the club announced that former Mexican international Andres Guardado, 38, would come out of retirement and rejoin León in 2025.
“I’m very excited to play in my first game and help this club win,” Rodriguez told reporters on Tuesday. “There’s going to be a lot of pressure on me but I like that. I prepare for all of that. Physically, I feel good. I was training with Rayo and on my own before I signed. I like to train well and I’ll play when the manager makes that decision.”
Rodriguez, who said that he hopes to raise Liga MX’s profile, added that the Club World Cup is a motivation and that his history of performing well in a tournament setting should be valued.
“I want James to play, not sell jerseys,” said outspoken former Mexico manager Ricardo Ferretti on ESPN Mexico’s Futbol Picante. “Let’s give him the benefit of the doubt… He has been a genius at every tournament that he plays for his country, but (at the club level) his form has declined over the past five years. James is a ticking time bomb.”
Rodriguez could’ve minimized that level of scrutiny had he opted to play for Colombia’s Atletico Junior. The Barranquilla-based club shares its home ground, the Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Melendez, with the Colombia national team. Junior is the pride of Colombia’s Atlantic coast, and Rodriguez is Colombia’s star man, idolized and protected by the national team’s loyal supporters in Barranquilla. The city’s coastal heat has always been a positive refuge for Rodriguez, regardless of his form at the club level.
During a September World Cup qualifier against Argentina, over 40,000 yellow-clad Colombian supporters chanted his name after Rodriguez scored the winner from the penalty spot. He was given a standing ovation as he came off the pitch in the 90th minute after another courageous performance for his country. That backdrop set the stage for Junior’s owners, the wealthy Char family, to tempt Rodriguez with a celebratory return to Colombia, in a city where he’s beloved.
In early January and up until last week, reports swirled in Colombia that Fuad Char, 87, a successful entrepreneur, former politician, and principal owner of Junior, was negotiating with Rodriguez. They met personally in Colombia and discussed the terms of a potential acquisition. Char said publicly that Junior was the ideal landing spot for Rodriguez. He would play consistently and stay physically fit for Colombia’s remaining World Cup qualifiers.
Fuad Char (right), pictured with 2023 signing Juan Fernando Quintero, battled hard to sign Rodriguez. (Jesus Rico/AFP via Getty Images)
A meeting was arranged in Medellín between Char and Rodriguez, despite credible reports that a Liga MX side was pushing hard to sign him. When Char returned to Barranquilla, he was met at the airport by Colombian reporters. A downtrodden Char admitted that a deal to sign Rodriguez had fallen through.
“We were evaluating some of James’ contracts,” Char told reporters. “It was all very confusing and we needed to study them, but I received a message that James had an offer far better than what we can pay him, almost double the amount.”
Char claimed that Rodriguez and his camp had waited until the meeting to disclose León’s offer. In other words, a bridge had been burned. “They gave me numbers that were practically double (our offer). They could’ve told us that beforehand. I feel bad for the people (of Barranquilla) who were excited and thought that we were close.”
Char’s comments set off a firestorm of reactions on social media. Rodriguez has become a divisive figure in Colombia. He’s a legend to many and an entitled millionaire to others. The notion that Rodriguez had used Junior to secure a more lucrative deal with León made headlines in Colombia. Alejandro Char, Fuad’s son, is the mayor of Barranquilla, an example of the family’s influence in the city.
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On January 11, two days before León confirmed Rodriguez’s signing, the mayor announced that Barranquilla-born pop star Shakira would be celebrated as a symbol of the 2025 Carnaval de Barranquilla. Before he walked off the stage, Char left a parting shot for Rodriguez. “Don’t forget that nobody is bigger than Atletico Junior,” he said.
Opinions from reporters in Colombia varied. ESPN Colombia’s Francisco Velez said that Rodriguez had been unprofessional and that Colombia’s captain had “toyed with Junior.” Television journalist Luis Carlos Velez claimed that Rodriguez had not understood “the effort and love” that Barranquilla had shown him.
“He’s a great player,” Velez said, “but very soon he’ll end up in the same situation as always: knocking on the doors of those who risked everything today to help him.” Velez is married to a relative of the Char family.
Finally, citing sources close to Rodriguez, ESPN’s Lizet Duran reported on Monday that Rodriguez had been adamant and clear with Junior that returning to Colombia was not an option at this time. According to Duran, Junior’s owners and key sponsors insisted on the meeting in Medellin. Rodriguez, she said, accepted the invitation as a matter of common courtesy.
As evidenced over the last few weeks, Rodriguez is a footballer who still conjures strong emotions in certain parts of the world. The Copa America was a moment of redemption, where he led the tournament in assists and guided Colombia to the final. It restored his reputation as a player with elite skill. But now, the focus will be on how committed Rodriguez is to a league, in Mexico, that shines considerably less than its European counterparts, and one that — just like him — is seeking to regain lost credibility.
(Top photo: Leopoldo Smith/Getty Images)
