James Rodríguez missing from Colombia's squad for the Copa América: "Causes me enormous pain"

James Rodríguez will not be part of the Colombian national team for the next two World Cup qualifiers and for the Copa América. This was announced by the Federación Colombiana de Fútbol (FCF) on its homepage on Friday. The midfielder has undergone medical examinations which have shown that he is not at the optimal level for competition, it said.

The former Bayern Munich midfielder, who missed the end of the Premier League season with Everton FC due to a calf injury, reacted with surprise and disappointment in a message on social media, saying he was not being counted on and instead wished a good recovery. "A recovery that I have already gone through and sacrificed a lot in. Not getting the trust of the coaching staff breaks everything and causes me enormous pain," James wrote on Twitter.

Everton coach Carlo Ancelotti, meanwhile, had said the 29-year-old had returned to Colombia to join the squad for World Cup qualifiers against Peru and Argentina on June 3 and 8 and the Copa América starting on June 13. James had already played under Ancelotti at Real Madrid and Bayern. At Everton FC, who signed him on a free transfer last year, the 2014 World Cup Golden Boot winner played 26 games, scoring six goals and providing nine assists. He missed twelve games through injury. At the time of his transfer in 2020, he had a market value of €32 million, making him one of the most valuable free transfers in the world.