James Rodríguez came to FC Bayern with high hopes, but never really got happy in Munich. The Colombian was not only troubled by the German climate.
James Rodríguez and FC Bayern never became really warm - in the truest sense of the word.
The Colombian, who wore the Munich jersey on loan for two years (2017-2019), has now complained about the climate in the Bavarian capital, among other things.
"There were days when I went to work at 9 a.m. and it was -28 degrees. So I asked myself: 'What am I actually doing here," the 29-year-old said in a video podcast with the well-known motivation trainer, influencer and author Daniel Habif.
"The Germans are cold people," said James, "even though I was treated fantastically at FC Bayern."
The Southerner had to struggle considerably with the mentality in Germany. "All they ever think about is work. They are like machines, it's madness. They arrive, they train and goodbye. Everyone lives his life and trains, everyone is his own little machine. Really incredible."
Communication also proved to be a major obstacle for the midfielder. "The German language has cost me a lot," reported the 2014 World Cup top scorer.
"I told the teacher I had for the first four months: 'I don't want to waste my time or yours. I don't want that.'"
James has now returned to Real Madrid, but he is unlikely to have a future under coach Zinédine Zidane.
He has only played eight games this season. He would like to play more, "but I can't because of other people. If I was a bad player and I didn't play, that would be okay and I would be calm. But I'm someone who always wants to play, always wants to win," he made clear.
A farewell to the royals is therefore the most likely scenario. "If I go to another club, I can probably play more and be happy for a few more years," James said, open to a change.
Where is he headed now? "Perhaps I'll go to Italy, Spain or England. Maybe I'll know in a couple of days, or maybe not for a couple of weeks. I've been to some good leagues. All that's really missing is Italy and the Premier League."