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Colombian midfielder James Rodriguez, who claimed the Golden Boot in the FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brazil, has recently reflected on his "scary" 12-month spell at the Qatari club Al-Rayyan. Former Real Madrid and Bayern Munich star joined the Qatari club in September 2021 after playing one season at the Premier League club, Everton.
In his recent interview with the Brazilian TV channel Globo, the 32-year-old Colombian talked about his short spell in the Middle East and revealed the problems he faced during his time at Al-Rayyan, which even left him scared.
Rodriguez said, "Life and culture in Qatar are very difficult, it was a country where it was difficult to adapt. You know that everyone is naked in football when showering, but the teammates told me: 'You can't do it like that'... I was scared."
He added, "Everyone there eats with their hands, which was difficult for me. They shared it with me and I said, "No thanks". I asked for cutlery and they told me: "No, with your hand" and I replied: "You guys are crazy, I won't eat with my hand. "
After joining Al-Rayyan on September 15, 2021, the 2014 Puskas Award winner parted ways with the Qatari club on September 15, 2022, by mutual consent. Rodriguez went on to join Greek Super League champions Olympiacos on a free transfer and left the club in April 2023. The Colombian has now returned to South America to play for Sao Paulo in Brazil, signing a two-year contract.
