World Cup 2026: What Ronaldo did to me – Colombia’s James Rodriguez

Colombia captain, James Rodriguez, has disclosed that Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo helped him to settle down at Real Madrid when he joined the Spanish LaLiga club in 2014 from Monaco.

According to the 34-year-old, Ronaldo invited him to his house, and they became friends.

Speaking after Colombia’s 0-0 draw with Portugal in their final group game encounter at the weekend, Rodriguez described the 41-year-old Al-Nassr forward as a role model.

“Cristiano is a role model. When I arrived at Real Madrid, he was one of the first people to welcome me,” Rodriguez said as quoted by Fabrizio Romano.

“He invited me to his house, and we became close friends.

“He’s a wonderful person and an example for everyone. Just look at his physique at 41 years of age.”

Rodriguez and Ronaldo were former teammates at Real Madrid for four years before the Portuguese left Santiago Bernabeu in 2018 for Juventus.

World Cup 2026: What Ronaldo did to me – Colombia’s James Rodriguez