Rayo Vallecano has confirmed the signing of Colombian midfielder James Rodríguez, marking his return to the Spanish league, where he previously played for Real Madrid between 2014 and 2017.

This summer, James was named the best player of the 2024 Copa América, where he set a new record with 6 assists in the tournament, though Colombia lost the final to Argentina.

Rayo announced that they’ve secured their “star signing” for what they’re calling their most special season yet, as they celebrate 100 years of history marked by bravery, courage, and nobility. For the Madrid-based team, James "embodies the club’s values," and the player is eager to "dream big and achieve great things."

James Rodríguez was born on July 12, 1991, in Cúcuta, Colombia. He made his professional debut with Colombian club Envigado in 2006 before moving to Argentina’s Banfield in 2008, where he became the youngest foreign player to debut and score in the Argentine first division at 17.

In 2010, he made the leap to Europe, joining Portuguese club Porto, where he spent three seasons alongside fellow Colombians Radamel Falcao and Freddy Guarín. Afterward, he played a single season with Monaco (2012-2014).

His next stop was Real Madrid, where he played from 2014 to 2020, though he spent two seasons on loan at Bayern Munich (2017-2019), reuniting with Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, who had managed him at Real Madrid and later brought him to Everton.

James was part of Everton’s squad from September 2020 to September 2021, before moving to the Qatari league to play for Al Rayyan. His last stops were with Greek side Olympiakos (2022-23) and Brazilian club São Paulo (2023-2024) before returning to Madrid to join Rayo in their centenary year.