Bogotá’s El Campín offered James Rodríguez a homecoming with the familiar late drama of Colombian football. The 35-year-old midfielder, back in the domestic game after almost two decades abroad, made his first official appearance for Atlético Nacional on Wednesday and supplied the decisive pass in a 3-2 win over Internacional de Bogotá.
James returns with a decisive contribution
Rodríguez began on Atlético Nacional’s bench wearing the No. 23 shirt, entering in the 58th minute for Juan Manuel Rengifo as the Antioquia club attempted to recover a difficult evening in the capital.
Internacional had taken the lead through Diego Duarte after 20 minutes, before Ian Poveda brought Nacional level in the 33rd. The visitors moved ahead shortly after the interval when Elías Cabrera finished a move that began with Rodríguez winning possession in the 60th minute.
Yohan Garcés restored parity for the Bogotá side in the 82nd minute, seemingly leaving Nacional without a winning finish. Instead, Rodríguez delivered from wide in the 98th minute and Juan Manuel Zapata converted the cross to settle the contest.
The assist gave Rodríguez an immediate mark on his long-awaited return to Colombian club football. His career away from home has taken him through Porto, Monaco, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Everton and São Paulo, among other stops across Europe and South America.
Having also recently announced his retirement from the Colombia national team, Rodríguez now begins a different chapter with Atlético Nacional, where the focus turns to challenging for domestic trophies.
