BOGOTA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- James Rodriguez announced his retirement from Colombia's national team on Tuesday after an international career spanning 15 years.
The 35-year-old, who captained Colombia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, departs as his country's most capped player with 131 international appearances and its second-highest scorer with 31 goals.
"Thank you for every match, every joy, every tear and every dream we shared," Rodriguez said in a video posted on social media. "Defending the colors of the Colombia national team was one of the greatest honours of my life."
Rodriguez played in three World Cups, including the 2014 edition in Brazil when he won the Golden Boot with six goals as Colombia reached the quarterfinals for the first time.
His long-range volley against Uruguay in the round of 16 won him the Puskas Award for the best goal of the tournament.
Rodriguez's career has included spells at Porto, Monaco, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, among other clubs. Last week, he signed a contract with Colombian side Atletico Nacional that runs until next June. ■
