There’s no doubt that the excitement for the upcoming World Cup-set to kick off in Mexico City on June 11-is already in the air. After the group-stage draw was completed, one of the most anticipated matches is the Group K showdown, where James Rodríguez’s Colombia will take on Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal.
The match will be held on June 26 in Miami, Florida, one of the games generating the most buzz since the schedule was released. Another highly anticipated game is Uruguay vs. Spain, which will take place in Guadalajara, Jalisco. In fact, the excitement for Colombia vs. Portugal is so great that on resale, the cheapest tickets are around $2,500 USD.
It will be an unprecedented matchup, as Colombia and Portugal have never faced each other in an official or friendly game. Additionally, the match could determine who advances as the leader of Group K-unless there is a surprise from Uzbekistan or the team that qualifies from the playoff, which includes Jamaica, New Caledonia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
James Rodríguez faces major uncertainty
The Colombian national team is experiencing an incredible moment in terms of results and talent, and is considered a potential “dark horse” for the upcoming World Cup. However, their biggest star, the experienced James Rodríguez, is going through a complicated moment: with six months to go before the World Cup, he does not have a club.
Over the past year, James Rodríguez played for Club León in Liga MX, where he finally found some consistency-something that had eluded him in recent years. However, after one season, he parted ways with the club, and when it seemed he might continue in Mexico, Pumas UNAM shut the door on him.
In recent weeks, James had been linked to Pumas, but journalist John Sutcliffe-known for his NFL coverage, especially Monday Night Football-reported that the Colombian will not join the Mexico City club: “James Rodríguez is not coming to Pumas. Yes, there were conversations, but what Pumas wants and what Efraín Juárez wants is something different. They are looking for ‘killers’ (strikers), they need number nines, and they are targeting a pair of goalscorers, likely South Americans. James is not coming to Pumas,” he posted on his X account.
It would have been exciting to see James play for Pumas UNAM-especially since Keylor Navas, one of his close friends, is there. We will have to wait and see what happens, but one thing is certain: with six months left before the World Cup, James Rodríguez is still without a team.
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