Last weekend, Everton FC midfielder James Rodríguez took heat from supporters for leaving before their match against Manchester City FC. After being ruled out for the Colombia national team, the 29-year-old is dealing with more controversy.
Colombia’s national team manager Reinaldo Rueda ruled out Rodríguez for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Fixtures and Copa América for not being at the required level of fitness.
Marca‘s Carlos Gonzalez put together an opinion piece criticizing Rodríguez, who has since requested more vacation days and has been seen around the city of Medellín. Gonzalez stated that the Everton star should be progressing with his recovery with his national team and not on his own.
“The idol of Colombia, the one who must always set an example; I agree that his season with Everton has been terrible because of the physical problems, problems that we have never really known what they were because they have hidden them. It is his right, but logically Rueda starts a project and needs all his players to be concentrated,” Gonzalez wrote.
“Despite not ready to play the first game against Peru and James, aware that Colombia is going through a delicate situation in qualifying for the next World Cup, has to forget about the holidays and be with the rest of his teammates supporting them from the first minute.”
The Colombian columnist says that Rueda follows the examples set by former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane in not allowing special treatment. However, Carlo Ancelotti seems to be the only manager to enable Rodríguez these special privileges that see him depart for South America despite his team having a pending match.