James Rodríguez will not renew his contract with León, from Mexico. The president of Grupo Pachuca, Jesús Martínez Patiño, confirmed the information this Wednesday (12). The Colombian player is looking for a new club seven months before the 2026 World Cup.
Colombia is already qualified for the tournament. James played 34 games for León, with five goals and nine assists. The midfielder arrived at the club in January 2025.
- Participated in Clausura 2025, with quarter-finals.
- Played Apertura 2025, eliminated in the regular phase.
- Played in the Leagues Cup.
🚨🇨🇴 James Rodriguez will leave Leon and he’s available as free agent again for 2026.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) November 11, 2025
Ready for new chapter after playing in Mexico… ahead of the World Cup with Colombia. pic.twitter.com/ANkq0FT8wV
Trajectory in León
James Rodríguez signed with León motivated by the FIFA Club World Cup. The club did not participate in the tournament as it belonged to the same group as Pachuca. Pachuca competed in the competition in the United States and was eliminated in the group stage.
The player played in two Mexican competitions. In total, he contributed with 14 direct actions in goals.
Performance in numbers
The Colombian midfielder scored five goals in 34 matches. He recorded nine assists during his time at the club. The team reached the quarterfinals in Clausura 2025.
She was eliminated in the regular phase of Apertura 2025. James played alongside Mexican and foreign athletes. León is part of the Pachuca Group.
Statements by the President
Jesús Martínez Patiño thanked James for being in Mexico. He compared the player to Messi in Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo in Portugal for Colombia. He wished the Colombian success in new challenges.
The manager highlighted the athlete’s happiness during his time at the club.
Previous career
James Rodríguez played for São Paulo, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. He played for European clubs before arriving in Mexico. The contract with León has officially ended.
Next steps
The player will be free on the market from now on. Look for proposals to maintain the pace of the game. The 2026 World Cup takes place in June and July. Colombia is part of the group of qualified teams.
James plans to arrive at the tournament in ideal physical condition. Interested clubs can negotiate directly.
Passage through Mexico
León played in the Leagues Cup with Jamesin the field. The Colombian adapted to Mexican football. Contributed in decisive Clausura games. Exit occurs without automatic renewal.
