James Rodriguez was 'afraid' after being told he couldn't shower naked in Qatar

World Cup star James Rodriguez has opened up about his struggles to adapt to life in Qatar, where he couldn't shower naked and was expected to eat with his hands

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Sport

Mark Whiley Sports Reporter

11:25, 28 Dec 2023

James Rodriguez has hit out at Rafa Benitez over his Everton exit

James Rodriguez left Everton for Qatar in 2021(Image: Clive Brunskill)

James Rodriguez got a culture shock during his spell in Qatar – where he was told he couldn’t shower naked.

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The Colombian journeyman, 32, who boasts stints at Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, made a lucrative move from Everton to Qatari side Al-Rayyan in 2021. However, he spent just 12 months in the Middle East country before his contract was terminated by mutual consent.

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He then moved on to Olympiacos in Greece but is now back in South America after signing for Sao Paulo in Brazil last summer. Reflecting on his ill-fated spell in Qatar, Rodriguez admitted he struggled with a number of the local customs.

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“Life and culture in Qatar are very difficult, it was a country where it was difficult to adapt,” Rodriguez told Brazilian TV channel Globo.

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“You know that in football everyone is naked when they shower, but my team-mates told me, ‘You can't do it like that’. I was afraid.”

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A topless James Rodriguez following a match between Qatari sides Al Gharafa and Al Rayyan. The Colombian had to keep his shorts on in the shower(Image: Simon Holmes/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

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He also struggled at mealtimes, where it is customary to eat with your hands, specifically your right hand for personal hygiene reasons. Rodriguez added: “Everyone there eats with their hands, which was difficult for me.

“They shared it with me and I said, ‘No thanks’. I asked for cutlery and they told me, ‘No, with your hand’ and I replied, ‘You guys are crazy, I won't eat with my hand’.

James Rodriguez struggled to adapt to life in Qatar and left after a year(Image: Simon Holmes/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

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As for his current spell in Brazilian Serie A, Rodriguez admits he has struggled to adapt to the physicality of the league. He said: “I thought the football here would be less physical, but it is very physical. The game is often stopped because of fouls and there are a lot of collisions.

“I thought it would be more technical. There are players with a lot of quality, but the game is very hard.”