"In My Prime" – James Rodríguez Claims He Was Better Than Zidane, Modrić, and Kroos, Backs Bellingham for Ballon d'Or
Colombian star James Rodríguez has ranked himself higher than Real Madrid legends Zinedine Zidane, Luka Modrić, and Toni Kroos.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Rodríguez rose to prominence during the 2014 World Cup, where he netted a stunning goal against Uruguay and finished as the tournament’s top scorer. His standout performances in Brazil secured him a move to Real Madrid, where he played under Zidane at the Santiago Bernabéu alongside stars like Modrić and Kroos.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
The 33-year-old was recently asked about his time at Real Madrid and his opinion on the best players in the world. Speaking to Edu Aguirre on Los Amigos de Edu, Rodríguez named his top three as “Mbappé, Bellingham, and Vinícius.” He also boldly ranked himself above Modrić, Kroos, and even the iconic Frenchman Zidane. He stated, “Zidane was incredible, he won the World Cup at his peak, but… James.”
WHAT RODRIGUEZ SAID
Rodríguez also backed Bellingham to become the best player in the world in the future. He stated, “I scored more than 14 goals and provided around 15 assists, I believe. It was an incredible season, similar to Bellingham’s first year. I really admire his style of play and think he has the potential to win a Ballon d’Or.
Of course, during my time, I had to compete with legends like Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Iniesta, Xavi, Suárez, and Neymar. In 2014, I finished eighth in the rankings, with these greats ahead of me. Yes, I would have loved to win the Ballon d’Or, and I came close, but my focus was always on winning major trophies like the Champions League.”
WHAT NEXT FOR RODRIGUEZ
Rodriguez has played for clubs across the globe throughout his career and is currently with Mexican side León after parting ways with La Liga’s Rayo Vallecano by mutual agreement in January. León is currently in second place in the league standings, trailing leaders Club América by just one point.
