Rayo Vallecano pinning hopes on immediate impact from James

After celebrating his 33rd birthday, the Colombian player decided to part ways with Brazilian club São Paulo following a successful run in the Copa America. His standout performance has reignited interest in him, leading to his decision to sign with Los Franjirrojos.

For James, this is a return to Spain given that he previously played with Real Madrid between 2014 and 2017, and also in 2019/20. His move to the Spanish capital took place after he emerged as the breakout star of the 2014 World Cup, where he was top scorer with six goals as Colombia reached the quarter-finals. Later, after three years at Real Madrid, he left to join Bayern Munich on loan before also enjoying a loan spell with Everton. In recent years, he has played in Qatar, Greece and Brazil and is now returning to LALIGA EA SPORTS. 

In total, James played 85 matches in LALIGA EA SPORTS during his time with Real Madrid, scoring 29 goals and providing 28 assists. 

Making this move to Rayo Vallecano all the more fascinating is the fact that the club is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding. As such, the arrival of the playmaker is an extra reason for fans to get excited in this centenary year. 

However, he is not the first footballing superstar to play for Rayo Vallecano. In 1993/94, the Mexican striker Hugo Sánchez made a return to LALIGA to play for Rayo Vallecano, having previously dazzled Spanish crowds over 10 years when he played for Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid. In fact, Sánchez is the fourth-top scorer in the history of Spanish football’s top division, with 234 goals, which is only behind Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. 

A more recent case was the arrival of Radamel Falcao in Vallecas, when he joined the club in 2021 from Galatasaray. Having played for some of the biggest clubs in Europe, including Atlético de Madrid, he was a high-profile arrival. Falcao played 80 games and scored 12 goals for the club, although James’ international teammate has departed for Millonarios this summer.

Now, James is the star name in this squad, as Rayo Vallecano aim for a calmer season than last term, when they only secured survival at the end of the campaign. If he needs inspiration, James can look to the case of his former Real Madrid teammate Isco, who has rediscovered his top form at Real Betis. Now, all eyes are on James as he looks to make an impact in Vallecas.