James Rodríguez on Ronaldo: He is an exceptional individual and an example to everyone

The encounter between Cristiano Ronaldo and James Rodríguez was a highlight of the match between Portugal and Colombia, which determined the leader of Group K in the 2026 World Cup. The two former Real Madrid teammates continue to maintain their friendship, despite the Portuguese star now playing in Saudi Arabia and the Colombian in Minnesota, USA. Before the opening whistle, the two captains met on the pitch and exchanged a few words. This was followed by hugs, smiles, and mutual wishes of "Good luck!" At halftime, cameras caught another conversation between them in the tunnel leading to the locker rooms, this time discussing the intense heat in Miami. After the match, in a statement to ESPN, James Rodríguez did not hide his satisfaction at meeting his friend and praised the captain of the Portuguese national team.

"We talked. He's a great friend from our time at Real Madrid, and also a great person. We built a very strong friendship. I was constantly at his house. He is an exceptional individual and an example to everyone. You just have to see his physique at 41 and everything he can still do. He is a great athlete. A man I admire greatly and for whom I have immense affection," shared the former FC Porto player.

Despite their friendship, both players' professionalism remained paramount, and at the end of the match, the smile was on James Rodríguez's face, as the draw secured Colombia first place in the group with seven points. The South American team will face Ghana, while Portugal will go head-to-head with Croatia.