James Rodríguez reaches 11 matches with Colombia in World Cups, breaks record

James Rodríguez has set a new record for Colombia, becoming the player with the most appearances in World Cup history. He achieved this milestone during Colombia's 0-0 draw against Portugal in Miami, marking his 11th World Cup match.

With this appearance, Rodríguez surpassed legendary Colombian footballers Carlos 'el Pibe' Valderrama and Freddy Rincón, who had previously shared the record with 10 World Cup games each. Valderrama and Rincón played in the 1990, 1994, and 1998 World Cups, while Rodríguez's appearances span across Brazil 2014, Russia 2018, and the current tournament co-hosted by Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

Rodríguez, who captained Colombia and played 76 minutes before being substituted, expressed disappointment over his team's inability to score against Portugal. "We played a great game against a big rival; I said in the last match that against teams that let us play, it's more comfortable for us, unfortunately, we lacked the goal," he stated.

Looking ahead to Colombia's next match against Ghana in the round of 16 on July 3, Rodríguez acknowledged the challenge. The 34-year-old midfielder described Ghana as a tough team with physically strong players, comparing them to the Republic of Congo. "Ghana is a tough team, with players of great physique, similar to those of the Republic of Congo. It will be very tough, although we have five days to recover. We still have time, we need to be calm and prepare for that match in the best way possible," he added.