The Nation Newspaper

Tag: James Rodriguez

  • Manchester United: Zidane may replace Mourinho

    Zinedine Zidane has hinted he will be returning to work soon following multiple reports that he is favourite to replace Jose Mourinho if the Portuguese is sacked by Manchester United.

    The former France midfielder has been without a job since resigning from his position as Real Madridboss after helping them to a third consecutive Champions League crown in May.

    But speaking with Spanish broadcaster TVE, he revealed that he’ll back in the game very shortly.

    Read Also: Champion Zidane bids Madrid shocking farewell

    Zidane said: ‘Yes, surely. Soon I will return to training because it is what I like and is what I have done all my life.’

    Zidane’s speculation first started after a frustrating summer in the transfer market and a poor start to the season which has seen Mourinho’s team lost two of their first four games.

    A recent report by The Mirror claimed that Zidane was already preparing for life in the Old Trafford hot-seat by compiling a list of transfer targets.

    Toni Kroos, Thiago Alcantara, James Rodriguez and Edinson Cavani are said to be among a list of names that Zidane would like to join him in Manchester should he be appointed as Mourinho’s successor.

     

  • 10 candidates for football’s 2018 best player award – FIFA

    The 2018 men’s world footballer of the year will be picked from a list of 10 players instead of from a list of 23 as in the past, global ruling body FIFA said on Wednesday.

    The players in question will be selected by a 13-strong panel that includes legends such as Brazil’s Ronaldo and Germany’s Lothar Matthaeus.

    National team captains and coaches, media and fans then elect the best player in a poll between July 23 and August 10. The winner will be crowned at The Best FIFA Football Awards on September 24 in London.

    Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have won the prestigious award – now called The Best FIFA Men’s Player and formerly known as FIFA World Player and Ballon d’Or – five times each over the past 10 years.

    Awards will also be given out for best women’s player, best men’s and women’s coach, best goalkeeper and best goal, and there is also a fair-play prize.

    Read Also:FIFA sanctions hosts Russia, three others, warns Egypt over Salah

    The Newsmen reports that in 2014, Argentina had three nominees in Angel Di Maria, Javier Mascherano and Lionel Messi, while their opponents in Sunday’s final, Germany, have four.

    Mats Hummels, Toni Kroos, Phillip Lahm and Thomas Muller are the players nominated from Joachim Low’s side.

    Colombia’s James Rodriguez, Brazil’s Neymar and Arjen Robben of Netherlands complete the 10-man shortlist.

    Fifa has also announced the nominees for the Golden Glove competition, awarded to the best goalkeeper at the World Cup.

    Costa Rica’s Keylor Navas, Germany’s Manuel Neuer and Argentina’s Sergio Romero will compete for the prize.

    Meanwhile, Netherlands’ Memphis Depay and Paul Pogba and Raphael Varane of France were nominated for the best young player at the tournament.

  • Rodriguez splits from wife Daniela Ospina

    Rodriguez splits from wife Daniela Ospina

     

    Bayern Munich midfielder James Rodriguez has split from his wife after six years of marriage, amid claims of an affair with a model.

    It has been confirmed Rodriguez, on loan from Real Madrid, has parted with Daniela Ospina, sister of Arsenal goalkeeper David.

    This comes amid reports in Colombia and Spain that Rodriguez has been involved in a love triangle with model Helga Lovekaty.

    Marca report that an affair with Lovekaty is the reason for the end of the footballer’s marriage to the mother of his only child.

    A statement from Ospina’s manager confirmed the pair, who have a daughter together, had made the decision amicably.

    The message, shared on social media, said: ‘Daniela Ospina and James Rodriguez, parents to Salome Rodriguez Ospina, are making official their separation after six and half years of marriage.

    ‘It is done in the best possible terms and it is a mutual decision. They’ll maintain a relationship of love and of respect, always with Salome’s well-being at heart.’

    The couple, both Colombian, had married when they were teenagers, with Rodriguez aged 19 and Ospina just 18.

    The separation comes just after Rodriguez moved to Munich on a two-year loan, having struggled for game time at Real.

  • Rodriguez joins Bayern Munich on £40m loan deal

    Rodriguez joins Bayern Munich on £40m loan deal

    Real Madrid playmaker James Rodriguez has signed for Bayern Munich on a two-year loan deal – in a move that reunites him with Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti.

    Rodriguez will have a medical with the German giants before completing his move to the Allianz Arena – in a deal which could cost up to £40million.

    Bayern will also have an option to buy the Colombia international permanently at the end of the loan deal on June 30, 2019. The initial loan will cost them £9m with another £31m on top of that, should they wish to make it a permanent one too.

    Carlo Ancelotti signed James Rodriguez from Monaco in a deal that cost Real Madrid £63million in the summer of 2014 after a glorious World Cup.

    During their one season together they won the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.

    However, at the end of the 2014-15 season saw Carlo Ancelotti sacked by Real president Florentino Perez.

    Two seasons on though, Ancelotti and Rodriguez are reunited – this time at Bayern Munich – with the latter joining on a two-year loan to begin with.

    He will be a member of the Bayern squad that sets off on Sunday evening for their pre-season 12-day Audi Summer Tour to China and Singapore.

    Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge expressed his delight at the capture of the 25-year-old – revealing that he was Ancelotti’s main priority this summer.

    ‘We’re delighted we’ve been able to complete this transfer,’ he told the club’s official website.

    ‘Signing James Rodríguez was our coach Carlo Ancelotti’s biggest wish, following their successful spell working together in Madrid.

    ‘James is a very versatile player. He’s a goalscorer himself, he sets up a lot of goals and on top of that he’s great from set-pieces. There’s no question that this transfer further increases the quality in our team.’

    Ancelotti and Rodriguez worked together at Real Madrid with the latter joining in a £63million deal in the summer of 2014 from Monaco after excelling for his country at that year’s World Cup.

  • Manchester United seal James Rodriguez deal – Report

    Manchester United seal James Rodriguez deal – Report

    … De Gea moves in opposite direction

    Colombian superstar, James Rodriguez, will be donning the famous red and white stripes of English Premier League (EPL) giants, Manchester United, next season, Spanish media reported on Monday.

    Rodriguez has been a bit-part player for European champions Real Madrid since French legend Zinedine Zidane took over at the Spanish giants last season.

    The report claimed that Spanish international, David De Gea, would move in the opposite direction.

    It added that Real Madrid and Manchester United have agreed on deals for the midfielder who won the golden boot at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and the Spanish shot stopper.

    However, the final transfer fee for the duo will decided in the coming weeks with both clubs valuing the players differently.

     

  • Colombia omits Rodriguez from Olympics squad

    Colombia omits Rodriguez from Olympics squad

    Real Madrid forward, James Rodriguez, has been left out of Colombia’s 18-man squad for the Olympics by coach Carlos Restrepo.

    The president of the Colombian Football Federation (FCF) had said the ex- AS Monaco midfielder would not be selected for the Olympics after featuring for the senior side at the Copa America Centenario, Goal reports.

    Sporting Lisbon’s Teo Gutierrez and Atletico Nacional’s Miguel Borja are expected to lead the Colombian attack at the tournament in Brazil.

    Gutiérrez, William Tesillo and Dorlan Pabon are the three over-aged players included in the squad.

    Colombia begins the tournament with a clash against Sweden on the opening day, before facing other Group B opponents – Nigeria and Japan.

    The full squad:
    Goalkeepers: Cristian Bonilla (Atletico Nacional), Luis Hurtado (Deportivo Cali).
    Defenders: Felipe Aguilar (Atletico Nacional), Deivy Balanta (Junior Barranquilla), William Tesillo (Santa Fe), Helibelton Palacios (Deportivo Cali), Deiver Machado (Millonarios), Cristian Borja (Santa Fe).
    Midfielders: Sebastian Perez (Atletico Nacional), Jefferson Lerma (Levante-ESP), Wílmar Barrios (Tolima), Andres Renteria (Santos Laguna), Kevin Balanta (Deportivo Cali), Andres Felipe Roa (Deportivo Cali).
    Forwards: Harold Preciado (Deportivo Cali), Teo Gutierrez (Sporting Lisbon), Miguel Borja (Atletico Nacional), Dorlan Pabon (Monterrey-MEX).

  • Real Madrid completes Rodriguez’ signing

    Real Madrid completes Rodriguez’ signing

    Real Madrid has announced the signing of World Cup star James Rodriguez on a six-year deal.

    Madrid said on its official website that it has completed the transfer of the Colombian international from Monaco for €88 million.

    The European champions had been linked with the creative midfielder since his impressive performance at the World Cup and he has now signed a contract until 2020 with the club after passing his medical, Goal reports.

    Rodriguez started his professional career with Envigado and also wore the Banfield and Porto jerseys before joining Monaco for €45m last year.

    He impressed in his first season at the Ligue 1 side, scoring nine goals in 34 league appearances to help Monaco to second place in the table and qualification for the Champions League.

    The attacking midfielder was also one of the stars of the 2014 World Cup as he picked up the Golden Boot and the Goal of the Tournament award following his sublime performances for Colombia, earning himself a move to Madrid in the process.

    He is the Madrid’s second signing of the summer after the previous capture of Toni Kroos from Bayern Munich.