James Rodriguez announces retirement from Colombia national team

James Rodriguez, 35, announced his retirement from Colombia's national team on Tuesday, ending a 15-year international career with 131 appearances.

• Rodriguez made his final appearance for Colombia on July 7 in a round-of-16 loss to Switzerland on penalties at the 2026 World Cup.
• He ends his international career with 31 goals and 43 assists in 131 appearances, tied with Carlos Valderrama and Freddy Rincón for the most tournament appearances by a Colombian.
• Rodriguez won the Golden Boot at the 2014 World Cup and captained Colombia to the 2024 Copa América final against Argentina.
• "I'm leaving calmly because I gave everything. Thank you for every moment, thank you Colombia," Rodriguez said in a video on social media.