James Rodríguez credits Carlos Corberán’s words at Olympiacos for timely reset and Copa América lift | OneFootball

James Rodríguez says a brief exchange with Carlos Corberán during his short spell at Olympiacos came at a low ebb and reshaped how he viewed the game. He later linked it to his upturn with Colombia at the 2024 Copa América.

According to Superdeporte, the discussion took place in 2022-23 in Greece during his first training session. They shared only one training day and one match, yet the message endured, as told in his new documentary.

The midfielder has starred for leading clubs in Europe and South America and has collected major honours, including the Champions League two times, La Liga two, the Bundesliga two and the UEFA Super Cup two. His career has included high-profile coaches such as Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid and José Pékerman with Colombia.

Corberán urged him to take the field thinking of his children, to play for them because they feel the lows and want him to succeed. That mindset left him happier at his last Copa América, with his daughter Salo present while his son Samu was still very young.

He links that talk to Colombia’s run to the 2024 final against Argentina, where he was named player of the tournament, a late-career flourish for the number 10. The documentary also portrays him as largely critical of most coaches he worked with, with notable exceptions being Pékerman, Ancelotti and Corberán.

Now in charge of Valencia CF, Corberán is credited by James with rekindling his love for the game and refocusing him on setting an example for his children.

Source: Superdeporte