James Rodríguez returns to Colombia to play for Atlético Nacional | OneFootball

Almost 20 years after taking his first steps in football, James Rodríguez has returned to where it all began. In the early hours of Friday morning, the experienced midfielder was announced as a new signing for Atlético Nacional of Colombia, the country where he was born.

At 35, with a career built on some of the biggest stages in world football, the left-footer had been in talks with Avellino from Italy’s second division. However, he ultimately chose to return to his roots and to the Colombian league.

Born in Cúcuta, James began by playing for Envigado before continuing his career at Argentina’s Banfield. In 2010, FC Porto signed the playmaker, who found in Portugal the ideal setting to begin establishing himself in European football.

His strong and consistent performances caught the attention of Monaco, who paid 45 million euros for him in the 2013/14 season. Shortly afterwards, Rodríguez moved to Spain to wear the Real Madrid shirt.

Since then, the Colombian has played for several clubs in different countries, representing Bayern Munich, Everton, Al-Rayyan, Olympiacos, São Paulo, Rayo Vallecano, Club León and, most recently, MLS side Minnesota United.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.