Courtesy: Vbet News
James Rodriguez will not compete in Copa America this summer. Colombia has stated that Rodriguez, 29, is not performing at his “ideal level” and will not be selected in their tournament roster.
Rodriguez of Everton missed the final two games of the season due to a calf injury, which he had battled throughout the 2020-21 season.
After a promising start for Everton this season, James’ season has waned owing to a slew of ailments. The Colombian has only appeared once for the Toffees this season, in a 1-0 loss to Sheffield United in May. He was allowed to return to Colombia early to rehabilitate, but he appears to have failed to do so.
The coaching staff of the Colombia Men’s Senior Team reported that James Rodríguez has been called off for the games against Peru and Argentina for the qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and the CONMEBOL Copa América 2021.
In recent days, the midfielder was subjected to medical examinations, which determined that he is not at the optimal level of competition, therefore, he will not be able to join the group. The coach and his team of collaborators regret not being able to count on James Rodríguez this time and hope that soon the midfielder will be able to be part of a call, representing our country with the height and professionalism as he has always done.
Rodriguez expressed his unhappiness with the FA’s decision, claiming that he had already recovered and was astonished by the decision to exclude him. Despite always giving his all for the Colombian jersey, James claimed that he was not sufficiently trusted by the coaching staff.
Rodriguez released a statement soon after the announcement which read:
“With surprise I receive the statement from the technical team, stating that they do not count on me and wish me a full recovery. Recovery that I have already made and in which I have sacrificed a lot.”
“The above fills me with deep disappointment, because for me it means playing for my country. Not receiving the trust from the coaching staff breaks everything and causes me enormous pain, since I have always left even my life for the Colombia National Team jersey.”
He wished his best to his colleagues and said that even though he’s not a part of the team, he’ll support them with passion
The Colombian team was already given a blow when they were removed as co-hosts, and now the decision to exclude their best player exacerbates the situation. Given James’ declaration that he is fully healthy and ready to play, the choice is surprising.
😒 Last weekend: James Rodriguez missed Everton's final game of the season to fly back to Colombia to be at full fitness for Copa America
🥴 Today: Colombia have released Rodriguez from their Copa America squad after failing fitness tests pic.twitter.com/r9VtKlx5jG
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) May 28, 2021