“León signing James Rodríguez was a waste of money”

After a hard-fought draw between Tigres and León, head coach Eduardo Berizzo didn’t mince words. “When FIFA dates hit, the freshness is gone,” he said, pointing directly to the physical toll on Colombian midfielder James Rodríguez, who had just returned to Mexico after starting in back-to-back World Cup qualifiers for Colombia against Venezuela and Bolivia.

And the impact is showing. Through eight matches in Mexico’s Apertura tournament, León sits in 10th place with three wins, two draws, and three losses. Despite the team’s inconsistency, James has been one of their standout performers—when fully fit...

On the León-focused podcast Enfierados, frustration boiled over. Hosts argued that while James carries the weight of expectations, the team has failed to build around him. “Signing James has been a waste of money,” one host said bluntly.

“Having James is a waste”

“He leads the team in assists, creates the most scoring chances, and delivers the most key passes for Colombia’s national team. Yet people say he doesn’t make a difference, doesn’t play, and earns a fortune.”

The podcast praised James’s form with Colombia, where he’s been a game-changer. “With the national team, which plays a different style, he stands out and was arguably the best player in the qualifiers. But in a team that lacks offensive ambition and doesn’t honor its identity, James fades—and it’s easy to say he’s not running.”

The criticism wasn’t just aimed at the player—it was a broader indictment of León’s inability to maximize a marquee signing. “It’s a waste. You threw money in the trash. Having James and not knowing how to use him is a failure.”

Next up for León

León faces Tijuana in Matchday 9 of the Liga BBVA Apertura on Friday, September 19 at 11:05 PM EST. All eyes will be on James—again.

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