In 2014, James Rodriguez disclosed that both Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City presented more lucrative offers than Real Madrid, but he opted for the latter in pursuit of “glory.”
Having earned international acclaim for his stunning performances at the 2014 World Cup, where he secured the Golden Boot with six goals, including a memorable volley for Colombia, Rodriguez’s market value soared. Real Madrid secured an €80m (£63m) deal with Monaco capitalizing on his heightened status. However, both PSG and Man City were contenders with tempting contract offers.
Speaking to Twitch streamer Pelicanger, Rodriguez revealed, “PSG and City both wanted me. Both teams came with more lucrative offers, but I wanted glory, I wanted Real Madrid.”
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He recounted a conversation with Real Madrid’s president, Florentino Perez, who posed a crucial question: “What do you want, money or glory?” Rodriguez’s response sealed his decision: “Then, it’s done.”
A year prior, Manchester United had expressed interest in Rodriguez, aiming to secure him as one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s final deals. However, the player chose to join Monaco from Porto in 2013, a move he explained in a later interview with Rio Ferdinand’s The Locker Room in 2020. Rodriguez expressed admiration for Manchester United but had reservations about such a significant move just a year before Colombia’s first World Cup since 1998.
He explained, “Since I was a child, I always admired Manchester. I always saw those teams with Rio together, with [Ryan] Giggs and [Paul] Scholes – there were a lot of prodigious players – and I wanted to get there in that year. But it didn’t happen.”
Opting to play for a club that wasn’t as prominent, Rodriguez went to France with the plan to perform well in the World Cup and then join a big club. The unexpected move to Real Madrid altered his trajectory.
Despite a strong initial season with Real Madrid, managerial changes and injuries affected Rodriguez’s continuity. Loan spells with Bayern Munich and a subsequent return to Madrid saw fluctuations in his performance. A move to Everton in 2020 showed glimpses of his former self, but injuries and a subsequent stint in Qatar with Al Rayyan preceded his return to South American club football with Sao Paulo in 2021.